Water heaters are crucial for any home, not just mobile homes. For essential works like cleaning, bathing, and properly disinfecting a water heater is essential in any mobile home. Water heaters heat the water and disperse to faucets and shower heads. While water heaters of traditional homes and mobile homes share similarities, they have their fair share of differences. Water heaters for mobile homes are designed to fit in the limited space of mobile homes. Installing water heaters for traditional homes in your mobile homes can be a fire hazard or pose a carbon monoxide risk. So, buying the right type of water heaters for your mobile home is crucial.
In this post, we’ll discuss mobile home water heater options and their maintenance in South Carolina.
Let’s dive in.
Mobile Home Water Heater Options In South Carolina
When choosing a water heater for your mobile home, you mainly have 2 options: electric and gas water heaters. But tankless water heaters are increasing in popularity. You need to know some things about these 3 types of water heaters to help you choose the best option.
Gas Water Heaters
The biggest advantage of gas water heaters is their versatility. They offer both natural gas and propane options. But the downside to gas water heaters is that they’re more expensive than electric water heaters.
Tankless Water Heaters
The biggest advantage tankless water heaters offer is that they’re on-demand hot water. Rather than heating 30 gallons of water simultaneously, it heats the water whenever the faucets are on, substantially reducing your bills. Another big advantage they have is that they take up less space, allowing you to double the water heart closet to double as a storage space.
But the con to them is that they’re a bit more expensive, harder to install, and need special venting requirements if they run out of gas.
Electric Water Heaters
The primary advantage of installing an electric water heater is they’re comparatively more affordable than the other 2 options and you’ll have access to hot water anywhere as long as your mobile home has enough power.
However, they’re not perfect. The main disadvantage they have is that electric water heaters have electric requirements. So, if you’re upgrading from your gas water heater to an electric one, you might have to install a new electric panel or run a new electric line to ensure your electric water heater gets enough power.
Maintenance Tips For Mobile Home Water Heaters
To increase the longevity of the water heater of your mobile home, you need to maintain it regularly to keep it in the best shape possible. Here are a few things you could do to maintain your water heater in your mobile home:
Test The Pressure Relief Valve
The pressure relief valve is a safety feature that prevents pressure build-up inside your water heater and prevents it from exploding in your mobile home. When the pressure inside the heater gets too high, water is released through the discharge pipe.
Place a bucket under the discharge pipe and lift the lever to test your pressure relief valve. If water comes out of the discharge pipe, it’s in good condition. But if the valve doesn’t open, then replace it.
Flush The Tank
Every year, you should flush the tank of your home water heater to avoid accumulating mineral sediment deposits, which can corrode the steel.
To flush your tank, turn off the power and cold water supply to the tank. Then, open the pressure release valve and hot water tap. Then, drain your tank using a bucket and a hose until it runs clear without sediments. If you have many sediments in your tank, you must turn the cold water supply and flush it a few times.
Check The Anode Rod
An anode rod protects the tank from corrosion by attracting the corrosive materials to itself. To know where your anode rod is located, check your water heater’s user manual. If your heater is 5 years old or the rod looks unusually corroded, then it’s time to change it.
To Wrap It Up
When considering water heater options for your mobile home in South Carolina, you primarily have 3 options gas, electric, and tankless. Each has its pros and cons. Choose the one that best fits your needs.
