WATER HEATER
INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE
Cole Plumbing provides
water heater installation and maintenance
services, using Bradford
White and Rinnai
water heaters. Cole Plumbing relies on Bradford White and Rinnai
because we have found that their products are unparalleled in overall performance
and quality. You
won't find superior products anywhere on the planet. When you find products
this good, you
stick with them.
Water Heater Facts and
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you know the major causes of premature tank failure unrecognized
or ignored by homeowners?
Why Tanks Fail
Simply put, rusting is what makes
steel tanks leak and require replacement. There are a number of factors
which contribute to the
rusting of water heaters. Proper installation, maintenance and adjustment
will almost completely eliminate these factors.
Depleted Anodes
-The inside of your tank is protected only as long as the anode rod has sufficient
sacrificial metal remaining on its
steel wire core. Inspect the rod periodically and replace it when
needed. Without a functioning anode in your tank, any other
measures are just wasted energy.
Electrolysis
- Just as magnesium anode rods corrode (purposely) in the presence of steel,
steel will rust (to the detriment of your
tank) when it's near to copper or brass. The more of these metals
there are, the more the steel tank will rust. Water heater
connections such as hot, cold and recirculating loop lines are
often made of copper or brass. When they are joined directly to
the
tank, excessive rusting occurs at the connections, restricting
water flow and weakening the steel. Dielectric unions and plastic
lined
steel nipples have been developed to reduce this electrolytic
corrosion.
Sediment
Build-Up - Heat forces minerals to come out of solution, forming
solids which settle on the bottom of your tank. This
sediment is mostly calcium carbonate. The harder the water, the
more sediment you can expect. When sediment accumulates in a
gas heater, it forms a barrier between the water and the flame,
slowing heat transfer. The subsequent overheating of the tank
bottom
can cause two problems. First, the glass lining starts dissolving
at temperatures above 160 degrees, so over time, the steel tank
bottom is gradually exposed to water and potential rusting. Second,
severe overheating can weaken the metal bottom to the point of
deforming under normal pressure. (Temperatures exceeding 1000
degrees have been measured at the bottom of severely scaled
tanks)! Sediment causes additonal problems. In both gas and electric
heaters, a dense sediment layer can insulate the tank bottom
from the protection of the anode rod. The sediment can also play
host to bacteria. Most of these are not harmful to our health,
but
they make the environment in the sediment more corrosive, and
the steel is under harsher attack than with heat and sediment
alone.
External Environment
- Don't overlook your tank's surroundings. If the air burned in a gas heater
is damp or carries salt, chlorine, or other corrosive chemicals,
it will attack the tank from inside the flue and combustion chamber. It may
even void the warranty.
Keep your heaters dry. Many tanks have failed because a plumbing fitting (either
on the tank itself or overhead) leaked and rusted
through the drain tank externally. Troublemakers include the drain valve,
heating elements, and hot and cold connections. Even a
loose packing nut on an overhead shut-off valve may leak and ruin a water
heater.
Determine
Your Heater's Current Status - It's useful to detemine the
age of your tank before working on it. A heater's age can
guide you to appropriate inspection and maintenance. For example, if a heater
is only a few years old, its likely the anode rod will still
have life in it. However, a heater more than six years old (or one which
is using softened water and is over two years old) will
probably need a new anode. Older heaters are also more likely to have troubles
with a damaged dip tube and more likely to possess
recalcitrant drains.
To determine the heater's age look at the serial number printed or stamped
onto the name plate. If it starts 0186 or A86, that means
it was made in January of 1986. 0286 or B86 means February 1986. If it starts
8604, that means it was built in the fourth week of
1986. If the serial number simply does not make sense with these guidelines,
look for "warranty" on the name tag; the A86 or other
code may be found there. If none of this leads you to a date, proceed with
servicing the unit. It probably needs it.
Cole Plumbing provides a Water
Heater Tune-Up which includes:
Installation of a full port brass drain valve
Clean out sediment build-up in tank bottom
Check anode rod
Check vent pipes
Check pipe connections
Check gas connections for leaks
Check safety relief valve
If we find an anode rod needs replacing or any other problems,
we will point out the area of concern and quote a firm price before
any work is started. Every water heater installed by Cole Plumbing comes with
a 6 year tank and parts warranty.
For an appointment
call Cole Plumbing today at 334-279-8919
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above is an excerpt from The Water Heater Workbook written by Larry & Suzanne Weingarten
the book is published by Elemental Enterprises
P.O. Box 928 Monterey,Ca 93942 (408)394-7077 .
Library of Congress Catalog # 92-80345
thanks to Larry & Suzanne for letting us reference their materials.
