Family budgets in Australia are like rubber bands right now. Taut, stretched, and one big household-appliance disaster away from snapping.

Completely eliminating large, unexpected expenses is impossible. However, budgeting for regular maintenance of essential household appliances like hot water systems can minimise the risk of the rubber band of your fortnightly budget snapping.

As a homeowner, there is little that you can do to prevent the skyrocketing costs of literally everything. Petrol, diesel and interest rates are rising. The flow-on effect means higher mortgage, higher rent, anything that requires transport, such as food, retail of any kind, and even tradies. Basically, the only thing that hasn't gotten more expensive is breathing.

Getting home after a long day, eating simple meals from a meal plan, then looking forward to that long, hot shower that signals the end of the day, that feels like luxury. Turning on the tap, waiting for that delicious steam and getting a stream of water colder than the RBA’s heart will have you yearning for a few weeks ago when you read this article and decided servicing your hot water system was an undue indulgence.

Corrosion, component failures and leaks will break the dam that is your tough-times budget. Hot water replacement can be unexpected thousands, perhaps weeks without hot water.... and washing your tears away with cold water is worse than the sensible option of regular maintenance.

Models and failures vary; however, generally, the most common issues are often the features designed to save your hot water system. The sacrificial rod is the main character of hot water system preservation. Simply put, it is a component in your system that exists to die. It corrodes to save the essential parts in your system, hence the “sacrificial” rod.

When was the last time you washed your face? How about your hot water tank? Tanks collect dirt and particles from the water, which settle to the bottom of your tank. Cue blockages causing damage to pressure relief valves and rusting linings resulting in tank failure. Fluctuating temperatures cause wear and tear, and thermometer failures can be fatal.

So, if the thought of dropping thousands on a hot water replacement makes you break out in a sweat that needs a hot shower to wash off, make regular maintenance a budget requirement and book in a specialist before winter.