Water heaters account for about 20% – 25% of a home’s monthly utility bills. Most of us take water heaters for granted until they stop working. As a result, we experience an emergency rather than a problem because hot water is essential to many of our regular activities.
Expected Issues with Your Hot Water Heater
Sediment and rust will undoubtedly be your water heater’s two worst enemies in the future, notwithstanding the difficulty of foreseeing every problem that can arise. You can take a few simple actions to fight them so you’re aware of unexpected issues. Save money on costs for utilities, and enjoy long years of life from your investment.
The average lifespan of storage tank electric and gas heaters is around 8 to 12 years. Regular water heater maintenance can improve performance and provide more years of service out of water heaters of every type.
Incorrectly maintained water heaters can pose a significant safety risk within your home. The combination of heat, fuel, and pressure that builds up in an enclosed space creates a highly volatile mixture that needs to get controlled. But there are other factors besides longevity and performance to consider.
Security issues typically take time to manifest, which is why they are easy to miss or not notice. Many of the matters display first as a problem that “all suddenly” can become dangerous, such as:
- Rusting tank
- Anode rod depletion
- Sediment build-up
- High-pressure water
- Corrosive gases
- Wrong size heater
Temperature and Pressure of a Water Heater
All of them could cause equipment to fail in time. However, some notable and significant variations to the list pose real risks. Water heaters may experience mechanical issues due to defective parts or exceptionally extreme water conditions that can increase the rate of corrosion and limescale accumulation.
A minimum of once per year, the temperature and pressure relief valve (TPR valve) needs to get inspected because it is prone to failure. It’s located either on the side or on top of the tank. It’s easily identifiable through the lever that gets situated on the tank.
The TPR valve’s purpose is to let out the excess pressure usually caused by excessive heat accumulation. Heating the water in a tank will increase the pressure within it. Most TPR valves used in residential applications get designed to get opened when water temperatures exceed the temperature of 210 degrees Fahrenheit or when water pressure exceeds 150 PSI. When the valve gets opened, it lets hot water out via the attached overflow tube.
Water Heater Maintenance Varies with Heater Type
Water heaters function in different ways and may have additional service requirements. Specific models burn natural gas and propane or use electrical energy to heat water. Condensing water heaters take advantage of gases from hot exhaust. In contrast, heat pumps or hybrid water heaters draw the heat from the air.
Geothermal heating systems transmit heat generated by the groundwater to hot storage tanks for water.
Maintenance of Water Heaters with Tanks
Internal corrosion and mineral sediment accumulation are two significant problems that any storage tank water heater can experience. The inability to keep these problem issues in the correct order through regular maintenance of the water heater could lead to the eventual breakdown of the tank.
Rust in Tank
Each water heater has insulated storage tanks that keep hot water for immediate use. Copper get once used; however, since the middle of the last century, most tanks have been made from glass-lined steel. Thermoplastic tanks provide alternatives that are more durable and energy-efficient.
Copper has a few inherent drawbacks. It loses heat quickly and easily corrodes; glass-lined steel is more resistant to corrosion. Steel tanks will rust soon without the glass liner. Glass also offers improved temperature retention.
The tank expands and contracts due to continuous heating and cooling, which might weaken or shatter the glass liner. Additionally, some tanks are just better made than others. Some metal is constantly exposed to water, regardless of the cause, which permits corrosion.
It gets inspired by galvanic corrosion, where one metal corrodes rather than another in an electrolyte like water. The goal is to have the rod become corroded or sacrifice itself to ensure that the tank will not.
Anode rods get made to be consumed and replaced at least every 3 – 4 years as part of routine water heater maintenance. If you don’t check on them annually and replace them when they’re corroded, you’re not only asking for trouble; you’re sure to get it. The tank will rust and fail.
Electric water heaters are prone to corrosion because heater elements from copper-sheathed steel get immersed inside the tank. Heating elements should be examined and replaced if needed.
The tank is a seamless blow-molded plastic tank with thick foam insulation, giving the tank an incredible capacity to keep hot water in the tank.
Sediment Build-Up
If water is heated, the minerals are separated and eventually settle in the lower part of the tank. The silt accumulates more quickly in water, which is more challenging. It is essential to clean out the sediment every year, at minimum, to ensure proper operation and extend the heater’s lifespan. Any expenditure you make to maintain your water heater will pay dividends through this in and of itself.
The sediment was piled up on the tank floor, forming a thick, hard crusty layer on the flue. The sediment at the bottom of the chimney had to get shaken off as the tank moved.
The sediment build-up acts as an insulation that blocks heat from the water. Heat needs to be applied more frequently to bring the water to the desired temperature, which can drive higher utility bills.
Heating longer cycles also heat the tank’s bottom, weakening the steel. And cause damage to the glass lining, opening the way for a devastating failure that can release 30-50 gallons of water into your home. The sediment can also block the drain valve or flow into valves within the hot water system that recirculates that block the valves, making the circulation pump melt out.
The bottom heating element of an electric water heater would have been covered in the heater that gets depicted, resulting in the element’s eventual burnout.
Water Pressure, Corrosive Fumes, and Heater Size
According to the code, most municipalities have a minimum water pressure of 20-30 pounds for every square inch; however, a force of 45-60 PSI is normal. It should not be more than 80 PSI. Low water pressure can be inconvenient, but excessive force in the water and the pressure surges place additional stress on joints, pipes, and water heaters. It causes the items to wear faster.
The harmful fumes common household cleaners produce, such as ammonia and bleach, can cause corrosion to tanks for water heaters. Storage and use of them are away from water heaters, a gas that emits fumes that are not harmful to the air used to ignite.
The size of the water heater has an immediate impact on operating costs. It happens up to 8-12 times every day. A water heater that is larger than what you require will use energy as the water cools down and is heated before it can use. However, the water heater that is too small will use more than it should to stay up.
Conclusion
Regular maintenance of your water heater will prevent the day that you’ll need to think about replacing your water heater. If you maintain your unit regularly, you’ll enjoy an additional few years beyond the warranty of 8-12 years durations of most household heated water heaters.
Regular maintenance on your water heater can prevent catastrophic failure, which could cause personal injury or thousands of dollars of property destruction. You will also save money and perform best by cleaning your water heater free from scale, sediment, and corrosion. To get the best results, hire licensed plumbers to maintain your water heater regularly. Contact Ottawa Plumbing Service at (613) 317-1682 and mail us at info@ottawaplumbingservice.com for the best result.
