Your water heater is one of your home's hardest working appliances. A little maintenance can improve its efficiency, speed its ability to heat water, and lengthen its life.

One of the best ways to save water heating energy and to extend your water heater's life is to lower the thermostat to a cooler setting. A setting of 120° F provides sufficient hot water for most families, reduces the chance of scalding, and decreases wear on your water heater's tank.

Read the manufacturer's instructions to learn how to adjust your water heater's thermostats, and be sure to turn the power off before opening the covers on an electric heater. Use a thermometer to gauge the temperature at each faucet in your home.

Corrosion, scale, and sediment are the enemies of your water heater:

* Corrosion happens faster in hotter water. Your water heater is built with a sacrificial anode that helps protect the steel tank by providing a replaceable component that sacrifices itself to the naturally occurring corrosive compounds in the water. This anode should be replaced periodically.

* Scale is the solid material that is normally in solution in water. Again, scaling happens more quickly at high temperatures. Scale reduces the efficiency of your water heater by clinging to the electric elements, or by coating the top of the gas burner.

* Sediment is small particles of debris that settle out on the bottom of your water heater. A drain valve at the bottom of every water heater provides a way to drain sediment from the tank. If sediment covers the elements of an electric water heater, they'll quickly burn out. Gas water heaters are also less efficient if the burner is covered with a layer of insulating sediment. If your water heater rumbles or makes other noises, you probably have a build up of sediment in the tank.

For more information about maintaining your water heater, point your web browser to http://waterheaterrescue.com.

Source: Saturn Resource Management (www.residential-energy.com)

John Krigger is a nationally recognized author of numerous energy efficiency books, including Your Home Cooling Guide; EnergyWise Guide to Home Energy Conservation and Residential Energy; and Cost Savings and Comfort for Existing Buildings. For more info on his publications, please visit his website www.residential-energy.com.