Hot water tanks can be costly to replace, so it is a good practice to do the following to maintain the life of your tank.

• Test your TPR (temperature and pressure release) valve. Your TPR valve is to prevent your hot water tank from exploding under high temperature or pressure. It will open if the pressure exceeds 150 psi or the temperature goes above 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the valve monthly by placing a bucket under the discharge tube and flip the valve open for a few seconds, release the valve and make sure it does not leak.
• If you are getting the “rotten egg” smell or gritty feeling from your water, you most likely need to replace your anode rod. The anode rod is an aluminum or magnesium rod that hangs in your water tank to attract the minerals in the water so that they eat away at it instead of your tank, pipes and fixtures. To replace the rod, turn off the cold water supply to your tank as well as the power or gas and drain a few gallons of water (be careful because it will be extremely hot). You will need a 1 1/16 socket to remove the rod. Once old rod is removed, put some Teflon tape on the threads of the new rod and install it.