The standard “tank type” water heater is found in most homes and with just a little maintenance, provides years of trouble free operation. Tank type water heaters heats cold water and stores the hot water until it is needed. This post will give you a clear understanding of the components which make up the gas & electric hot water heaters.
Water heaters works by a law of physics called convection which means heat rises. Heat rising and convection is a simple rule that we live with everyday. Cold water is supplied to the tank and pushed to the bottom of the tank through a dip tube. The denser cold water stays there and is heated by the gas burner- in gas water heaters & heating element in an electric water heater. As the water heats up, it naturally rises, and is drawn off by the hot water discharge pipe. The hot water pipe is much shorter on the hot water pipe than the cold water pipe which ensures that only the hottest water is being used from the tank.
Cold water is provided to the tank by a cold water supply line and controlled by a shut off valve. It is important to know where the water supply shut off valve is located in the case of a tank failure/ leaking tank. The hot water discharge is the end of the hot water “heating system” and where the hot water line meets the line that supplies all your sinks, tubs, showers and appliance needing hot water.
When you are looking at your water heater what you see is the tank jacket, and the tank jacket is made of lite steel and encloses a pressure tested water storage tank. Between the storage tank and the tank jacket is insulation to reduce heat loss of the heated water. It is not a good idea to use those fiberglass insulation tank covers to the outside of the hot water heater. They hold mositure on the tank and promote rusting of the tank, fiberglass insultion tank covers can even void some manufacuers warrieties.
Inside the tank you will see a dip tube. The dip tube is where the cold water supply enters the tank to be heated by the gas burner. Since cold air and cold water is denser than hot air or hot water, the cold water sets at the bottom of the tank until it is warmed by the burner and heated enough to rise (through convection) to the top of the tank where the hot water hangs out.
In glass-lined tanks there will also be a metal Anode rodin the tank, usually magnesium or aluminum) sometimes it’s called a sacrificial anode . The anode rod is bolted and fastened to the top of the tank and extends deep into the tank. It’s purpose is to draw corrosion to itself instead of the metal tanks it’s self. Small cracks develop over time in the glass lining, and the anode rod improves the life of your water heater tank. Is is nearly impossible to exchange the anode rode because they bond with the heater from years of heating and cooling/expansion & contraction. If you could replace the anode rod in theroy hot water heatres could last 20-30+ years.
The natural gas or propane is supplied by a pipe having its own gas shutoff valve. Just like you need to know where the water supply shutoff valve is located, you need to know where the gas line shutoff is located too. The gas line fees into a gas burner control module that serves as a kind of thermostat for the water heater. It also controls the ignition of the pilot light .
From the control module we now proceed to the gas burner assembly. This includes the pilot light and gas burner itself. The pilot light and burner adjustment are key to proper and energy efficient operation of the water heater. The gas flame should about 1/2 inch in height and should have a blue tip.
Gas Combustion Exhaust Flue The exhaust flue serves two purposes. It exhausts combustion gasses from the burner and it serves as a type of heat exchanger helping to heat the water in the storage tank. The flue must be properly exhausted to the outside and there are specific code requirements for the type of flue construction and acceptable details. General rule of them is that, the exhaust wants to rise naturally and the smoke pipe/ or flue pipe takes the exhaust to the chimney, and the chimney takes it up and out of the house. If their is no chimney in your house, or the one you have is bad/ condemned you have, or need a power vent water heater. A power vent water heater has a special motor that sits on top of the water heater and forces the exhaust thur 3-4 inch pvc pipe to an outside wall. The location of the pipe must be a few feet away from any windows and door ways.
Safety features. A safety feature of the hot water heater includes the pressure relief valve and discharge pipe. The purpose of this valve is to relieve excessive temperature or pressure build up inside the tank if it approaches the limits of the tank’s safe design range. This valve is located on top, or side of the tank and is threaded directly into the tank striaght from the factory . To test the valve lift up on the handle slightly and hot water should discharge out of the overflow pipe. However if the water heater, and valve is very old it’s possiable that once you open the valve it won’t completly shut again!
Draining the Tank. The hot water tank can build up sediments in the bottom of the tank and if left unmaintained it can rob you of hot water, and make your water dirty. By draining the tank using the tank drain valve these sediments cannot build up. And if you don’t have sedimentation then that helps to prolong the life of your tank and improve your water quality.
Before you flush your water heater you must perform these following steps!!!
Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the tank by lifting the lever. Leave the valve open.
Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater allowing the water to flow out through the garden hose. If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold inlet valve back on to “power flush” the sediment out.
In some cases the sediment hardens into large chunks that can block the drain valve. If so, then wait until everything cools down, remove the garden hose from the drain valve, remove the valve if necessary, and use a long screw driver to break up the clog. This is a very messy procedure.When the garden hose runs clear you are finished.
Close the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and remove the garden hose.
Close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank if it is still open, and turn the cold inlet valve back on.
Open a hot water faucet in your house at the highest faucet in the house, (bath tubs are best because you will be getting some dirty water back up threw the pipes at first, and the bath tub won’t clog up like a faucets air-orator could) and let it run until all the air and bubbles come out.
Turn the heater back on, and with gas units re-light the pilot light if necessary.
We provide top quality plumbing information about services, free estimates, installations and repairs on all Rheem, Ruud, Bradford white, State, and A.O. Smith electric, gas, propane, Bock, Thermaflow/Everhot oil fired hot water heaters, Navien, Rheem, Noritz, and Takagi tankless water heaters, Ruud, Bock, and lochinvar oil fired water heaters, SuperStor storage tanks, Peerless, Laars, and Crown tankless coils, Solar water heating installations, and repairs on all hot water heater throughout the state of Connecticut including Bridgeport, CT- Bristol, CT- Cheshire, CT- Danbury,CT- Derby,CT- East Hartford,CT- East Haven,CT- Enfield,CT- Fairfield,CT- Hamden,CT- Hartford,CT- Meriden,CT- Orange,CT- Middletown,CT- Milford,CT- New Britain,CT- New Haven,CT- New London,CT- Norwalk,CT- East Norwalk,CT- Norwich,CT- Putnam,CT- Shelton,CT- Southington,CT- Stamford,CT- Stratford,CT- Southport,CT- Torrington,CT- Wallingford,CT- Watertown,CT- West Hartford,CT- West Haven,CT- Westport,CT- Wethersfield,CT- Willimantic,CT- all shore areas, and surrounding Connecticut areas.
{ 7 trackbacks }
Comments on this entry are closed.