Page 224 - 12558 Drexler Builder Binder.pdf

MAINTENANCE

Rou ne Maintenance ments than trying to remove heavy NOTICE: DO NOT turn electrical power
lime deposits. back on unless the tank is completely
Rou ne maintenance will help your full of water.

water heater last longer and work bet- To drain and ush the tank: Remove and inspect the anode
ter. If you can’t perform these rou ne 7 rod (see Repair Parts Illustra-
maintenance tasks yourself, contact a 1 Locate the water heater’s on on back cover for loca on

qualied person. circuit breaker and turn it OFF
(or remove the circuit’s fuses). of the anode rod). Replace the anode
rod if it is depleted. Turn power o . Run
Water Heater Maintenance hot water un l it’s cool. Turn cold water
A er the rst six months, drain and supply valve o . Open a hot water

ush the water heater and inspect the faucet to depressurize tank. Locate and

anode rod. Depending on the hard- remove the black plas c cover marked
ness of your water, repeat this process “Anode” Use a “key hole” saw or similar
at least annually, or more frequently if Figure 24 - Circuit Breaker tool to remove the foam insula on
needed. From me to me, you may Open a hot water faucet and covering the anode rod. Once the
need to replace a hea ng element or a 2 let the hot water run un l it is anode rod is exposed, use a 1 1/16”
thermostat. All three maintenance tasks cool. socket wrench with an extension to
are described below.
remove it. Inspect the anode rod and

replace if depleted. Apply Teon® tape
Draining and Flushing the or pipe joint compound and reinstall
Water Heater the anode rod ghtly. It is not necessary
Tap water contains minerals that can to replace the foam removed to access
form lime deposits on hea ng elements the anode. Turn cold water supply valve
or sediment in the bo om of the tank. on. When hot water runs full, close hot
The amount of lime deposits or sedi- Figure 25 - Water Faucet water faucet. Check for leaks and repair
ment depends on the hardness of your WARNING! Be sure the water runs if necessary. Turn power on.
tap water. The rate at which sediment cool before draining the tank to reduce
builds up depends on water quality and the risk of scalding.
hardness in your area, the tempera-
ture se ngs, and other variables. We 3 Connect a garden hose to the

recommend draining and ushing the drain valve and place the other

water heater a er the rst six months end of the hose in a drain,
of opera on to determine the amount outside, or in buckets.
of sediment build up. Draining sedi- Turn the cold water supply
ment extends the life of the tank, heat- 4 valve OFF.
ing elements, and drain valves. Figure 27 - Anode Rods from new (top) to
Open the drain valve on the partially depleted (middle) to fully depleted
• In areas with very hard water, 5 water heater. stage (bottom)
remove and check the heating ele-

ments whenever you drain the tank. Anode Rod. The anode rod is a sacricial
If you have heavy lime deposits on metal rod that helps reduce corrosion
heating elements, you will need to and premature failure (leaks) in the tank.
replace them more often. The anode rod is a consumable item.

Inspect the anode rod a er the rst six
• Sediment may form large masses that months of opera on when you drain and
can prevent the tank from draining. Figure 26 - Drain Valve ush the tank. Replace the anode rod if

Have a qualified person use a de-lim- Open a hot water faucet to
ing agent suitable for potable water to 6 help the water in the tank it is substan ally worn out or depleted.
remove the sediment buildup. drain faster. Therea er, inspect the anode rod annu-
ally or more frequently if needed. If you
• In most cases, it is easier and cheap- use a water so ener, your anode rod will MAINTENANCE
er to replace lime-encrusted ele- deplete faster than normal. Inspect the

Residen al Electric Water Heater Use and Care Guide • 21