Tips to Maintaining Water Heater

Water heater maintenance is one of the most important yet overlooked things home owners need to take care of. When you first move into your new house it is very important that you inspect the water heater and make sure that is working properly. You can also hire someone to do this for you.

If you choose to hire a professional to do this for you, it would be very wise to follow them and watch exactly what they are doing. While they are doing their water heater maintenance ask them as many questions as you can. Take a notebook with you and write everything that they do and tell you down. Next time you will be able to do the water heater maintenance on your own.

Tips Maintaining Water Heater Tank

Tankless water heater maintenance is fairly simple compared to traditional types of water heaters. The tankless water heaters have been on the market for quite a few years now. They are becoming much more popular as people are trying to find greener energy devices and tankless water heaters are much more efficient and only use resources to heat the water when the water is needed.

There are some downsides to a tankless water heater, such as the slow flow rate. Tankless water heater can only produce a flow between 2 – 5 gallons per minute. While large tank type water heaters produce more flow. If you do regular tankless water heater maintenance and keep your water heater running well, you can keep the flow on the high side.

Tips Maintaining Gas Hot Water Heater

Water heater maintenance is one of the most important yet overlooked things home owners need to take care of. When you first move into your new house it is very important that you inspect the water heater and make sure that is working properly. You can also hire someone to do this for you.

If you choose to hire a professional to do this for you, it would be very wise to follow them and watch exactly what they are doing. While they are doing their water heater maintenance ask them as many questions as you can. Take a notebook with you and write everything that they do and tell you down. Next time you will be able to do the water heater maintenance on your own.

Tips to Maintain Solar Water Heater

Solar water heaters are becoming more and more popular among home owners. Harnessing the power of the sun to give you hot water is a great way to reduce your utility bills and also a great way to reduce the footprint that you leave on the earth. While solar water heaters are not the most popular water heaters on the market right now, they are gaining popularity very quickly.

Performing maintenance to your solar water heater is actually very similar to performing maintenance on any other type of water heater. The biggest difference is that you will also perform maintenance to the power supply of your solar water heater, where you would not perform maintenance to the gas lines to your gas water heater.

Starting with the solar equipment is actually a great place to start your solar water heater maintenance. First you need to make sure that your solar panels are not being blocked by shade. You should check this in the morning, noon and afternoon before the sun goes down. If the solar panels are being blocked by shade anytime during the day it is suggested that you move them to where they can be in the sun all day.

Also, you need to make sure that the solar panels are clean and free from dust and dirt. The solar panels may also get leaves or other debris from the wind blowing on them. Making sure that they are clean and clear from debris will guarantee that they are performing the best that they can.

Next, you should inspect the plumbing and wiring connections. If you find any loose wires, unless you know what you are doing, you should contact a local electrician to come and fix it. If you know what you are doing, then you can perform the needed maintenance to the wiring. Make sure that none of the water fixtures are leaking and if they are you can try and tighten them.

You should always follow the owner’s manual when doing solar water heater maintenance and if you do not feel comfortable doing the maintenance yourself then you should hire a professional to do the solar water heater maintenance for you. If you do hire a professional to do the service for you it is suggested that you should follow them and see exactly what they are doing so you can perform the maintenance yourself. Ask them any questions that you may have.

If you do feel comfortable enough to do the maintenance yourself, then you should make sure and follow the safety precautions within your owner’s manual. To perform the tank maintenance you will first shut off the power supply to the tank. You will then hook up a drain hose and drain the tank. Make sure that the open end of the hose is in an area that will not be harmed by hot water.

After you have drained the tank it is important that you run water through the tank to clear out any debris or sediment that is left inside the tank. When the water runs clear out of the drain hose you will know that the tank is clean. You can then take the drain hose off of the tank and turn the feed line back on. After the tank is filled back up with water, you can then turn the power supply back on to the solar water heater.

Solar water heater maintenance is a necessity to keep your solar water heater working correctly. If you do solar water heater maintenance and keep your water heater running well it will last you a very long time and save you a lot of money in utility bills. It is said in the near future many more people will be changing their water heating sources to solar power.

Tips to Maintaining Electricity Water Heater

If you are a lucky owner of an electric water heater then here are very detailed instructions on how to perform maintenance to your electric water heater. Electric water heater maintenance can be a very dangerous thing if you do not follow the safety procedures that you will find in your water heater manual. If you do not have your manual, there are some general tips listed below. You can also see if you can find a copy of your manual online.

The first thing you will want to do when performing electric water heater maintenance is turn off the power at the breaker box. On the inside of the door of your breaker box you should find a diagram showing you which breaker controls your electric water heater. If it is not marked you should get in touch with an electrician to help you with this. It is a smart idea to make sure that all of your breakers are labeled.

After you have turned off the breaker to the electric water heater, you will then want to shut off the feed line valve going into your electric hot water heater. After you have closed the feed line water valve you will want to hook up your hose to the drain valve. The drain valve should be located near the thermostat; there should also be a picture of where it is at in your manual under electric water heater maintenance.

Before you open the drain valve that the hose is hooked up to, you need to turn on one of your faucets inside the house. You will want to turn on the hot water faucet. This will stop the vacuum effect while you are draining your electric hot water heater. You will also want to make sure that the open end of the hose connected to the hot water heater is outside and is able to drain somewhere that will not be damaged by hot water. The driveway or next to a sidewalk will work well.

Now you can open the valve that the hose is connected to so that the hot water can drain out. It is a good idea to open the valve slowly so that you can make sure that the hose connected to the valve is not going to leak. If it does leak, close the valve and retighten the hose. If the hose is not leaking, you are ready to drain the tank. Open the valve all of the way and watch the open end of the hose until it stops draining.

After the tank is empty, leave the hose hooked up and turn the feed line to the water tank bank on. This will help remove any debris that is left in the water heater tank. This is a step that is looked over with most people do their own electric water heater maintenance. Wait until the water coming out of the open end of the hose is clear and then shut the valve off to the feed line.

At this point you can also close the drain valve that the hose is hooked up to. Also, you may now remove the hose that is connected to the drain valve. It is a good idea to walk the hose out so that you drain all of the excess water out of the hose. Also, do not forget to close the hot water faucet that you had open to prevent the vacuum effect.

It is very important that your tank is full before you turn the power back on to it. With electric water heaters, the elements can blow if you turn it on without the tank being full. This is a safe precaution to follow with electric water heater maintenance. Not all electric water heater elements will blow, but it is better to be safe then sorry.

The last step to electric water heater maintenance is to test the pressure release valve. It is a good idea to read in the manual and follow the instructions in the manual for doing this. If you do not have the manual to follow for your electric water heater maintenance, see if you can find it online.

The tank should be turned back on at the breaker after the electric water heater has filled with water. You will have to wait until the heat of the water has been brought back up and the water heater is running as it was before the maintenance, actually better now that you have done your electric water heater maintenance.

Once the water heater temperature is back to normal, you need to test the pressure relief valve. Make sure that you follow the manufacture’s instructions. There should be a tagged located near the pressure relief valve on your water heater. If there is not, check in your manual that came from the manufacture.

That is the end of the tutorial and electric water heater maintenance. If you follow the directions and most importantly do not skip over the safety procedures, your hot water heater will be running like it is brand new. After you have completed your electric water heater maintenance make sure that you pick up all of the tools that you may have used and clean the area of any water that you may have spilled.

The problems in Water Heaters

Unlike tankless water heaters, standard type gas and electric water heaters use an insulated storage tank. The construction or anatomy of a gas tank type water heater is explained in the tutorial Anatomy of the Gas Water Heater.

Having water heater problems can be extremely frustrating. Different types of heaters can have different issues, but generally gas water heater problems, tankless water heater problems and electric water heater problems can sometimes be the same. When it comes to fixing these problems, the majority of the time a professional will need to be used in order to ensure that the problems are fixed in the long term and not just the short term.

A major issue that a lot of people find they have when it comes to water heater problems is that they have no hot water at all. When fixing this problem, it is certainly worth checking to see whether or not the breaker on the heating system has not been tripped. Sometimes water heater problems are not directly related to the breaker. If this is the case, then the next thing to check would be the thermostat. If the thermostat is not working correctly, then the water will not heat to the right temperature, or at all in some cases.

Tankless water heater problems can sometimes be much harder to fix. The problem is that finding the issue can be much harder, even for a qualified engineer. This means that even when a professional is called in, the time they take to fix the issue will end up costing lots of cash in the long run. Try fixing the problems without the help of an engineer first.

Electric water heater problems can be extremely confusing. A lot of heating engineers focus their energy on gas based systems. This means that trying to find a electric heating engineer can be a much harder task. Remember that gas engineers will have plenty of experience when it comes to all sorts of water heater problems, even if they are electric. Speaking to a gas engineer could mean that the problems quickly get sorted.

Some people that are having electric water heater problems might find that they are getting just a minimal amount of hot water, and that it does not last very long. If this is the case then the most obvious thing to check would be whether or not the heating system is big enough for the actual property. If it is not, then it will not be sustainable in the long term. For instance, it may provide enough hot water for one or two hot showers and then suddenly go cold.

Water heaters are generally very reliable but occasionally they do have problems. These problems can include:

• No hot water
• Inadequate hot water
• Rust colored water
• Rotten egg odor
• Low rumbling or popping noise
• Higher pitched whining
• Water leaking around base of heater

Before any troubleshooting is done on the water heater, make sure to prepare safely for the job by doing the following:

• Turn off power to an electric water heater. Do this by turning off the circuit breaker or fuse powering the heater.
• Turn gas pilot control valve to "pilot" setting.
• Shut off water supply to water heater.

Let's take a look at each problem and what possible causes and repairs exist.

And for reference, here is a great cut away photo of worn and damaged electric water heater components.

How to Install Tankless Water Heater?

Started by inspecting the previous traditional tank-type water heater installation.

After shutting off the gas and water valves, we unhook the gas and water hookups, then drain the water heater of water.

After moving the previous tank-type water heater we are ready to begin installation of a new energy efficient tankless water heater. We begin by installing new shorter water pipes through the floor to the basement, using the previous holes in the floor. We screw two foot long 2" x 4" pieces of wood to the studs inside the wall, giving us a secure place to mount our tankless water heater. We then use Stainless Steel Wound Water hoses to go to the cold water intake and hot water output. Our tank-type water heater left a great place for our new Dual-Chamber Intake/Exhaust Flue Pipe.

After the install was complete, Jim held the exhaust after 15 minutes of run time to show how the Dual-Chamber Intake/Exhaust Flue Pipe creates very little heat along the pipe.

Our mission was complete in one afternoon, completed by three guys with general knowledge in plumbing and construction.

How to Identify and Fix a Leaking Water Heater.?

A water heater leaking is not always that dramatic. Sometimes it is just a trickle, or a small stream. Even if it seems minor, a leaky water heater is not something that should be ignored. A water heater leaking can cause lack of hot water, property damage and large expenses. It is possible, however, to fix a leaking water heater if you catch the problem early enough.

Water Heater Leaking – Identifying the Problem

The first step in fixing a leaking water heater is to identify the cause of your hot water heater leaking. You must evaluate the water heater to determine from where the water is leaking. Is there a rupture in the actual water tank or is the water just seeping from the fittings around the pipes?

Figuring this out starts with understanding the construction of a hot water heater. The outer portion of a hot water heater is basically a large metal tube. It is connected to water pipes, and electricity or gas as the actual heating fuel. Sometimes a hot water heater leaking is caused by simple rusting or wear-and-tear of the metal outer part. If this is the case, there is no repair that will make the hot water heater functional or safe. This is the time for a hot water heater replacement. Inside this metal casing is the actual water tank.

The tank is a sealed unit inside the heater. It is generally made from glass, which makes it highly durable, but it does occasionally rupture. If this is the cause of your water heater leaking you need to purchase a new water heater. A ruptured tank simply can’t be fixed. If the water is leaking from the pipes that go in or out of the heater, you are probably capable of fixing it on your own. It may be a result of loose fittings or a pressure relief valve that need to be replaced.

Water Heater Leaking – Preparing to Fix the Problem

When you notice your water heater leaking and decide to fix it yourself, you must be prepared to avoid a messy and dangerous situation. Before you begin you should collect all of the tools and materials you will need. This includes a wrench, towels, a bucket and some plumbing thread. Once all of these items are collected you need to shut down the heater. Because a water heater is an electric appliance it is essential that you cut off power to it before attempting to fix it. Make sure that everyone knows that you are working on the water heater so that no one decides to switch the breaker back on and accidentally gives you a nasty shock. If applicable, shut off the gas that connects to the heater. To prevent inconvenient flooding, close the water inputs. After the water heater is successfully turned off, drain the tank.

Once the tank is drained you can dry all of the fittings to prepare them for repair. Ensure that the pressure release valve is intact and functioning. If it is not, replace it. Check and tighten all fitting and make sure that all of the pipes are strong. Once you have done all of these repairs, turn the water back on and check that everything is working properly. If the water heater leaking has stopped, you have successfully made a repair and saved the hassle and cost of hiring a repairman!

Checking the Gas and Electric Water Heaters For Safe

In Gas Heaters

you should open the combustion chamber and have a gander inside.

First, turn the control to pilot. That way, you don't get your face singed. Then remove the outer hatch -- with gloves or pliers, if the tank has been firing. Then do the same with the inner cover, if it's an older heater. If it was made since 2004, you may only be able to peer as best you can through a small window.

What and where are the hatches? At the base of the heater, perhaps below the control, as here. This outer hatch, top photo, has two tabs that fit in two slots at the top. Others we've seen have the slots and tabs at the side. The inner hatch, below right, merely sits in the opening to the combustion chamber.

Shine a flashlight inside, onto the roof of the chamber. What does it look like? If the tank is sound, there shouldn't be much to see, except maybe some white marks from condensation.

If, however, the tank is headed for ruin, there will be signs of heavy rusting and pitting around the flue, rust flakes on and around the burner, and marks of water having run down the sides.

If you find these marks, begin shopping for a new tank, because yours probably doesn't have much life left. And don't forget to profit the new one so you don't have to do this again.

The first two pictures below are from our own water heater, now 30 years old after being maintained as we advocate here. It is not a perfect tank bottom; we've seen better. But it's a very good one. This heater may yet weep at our funeral. As to the third one, it wasn't so good. We wept at ITS funeral!

When you've finished your inspection, replace the hatches and BE SURE TO TURN THE CONTROL BACK TO ON. Otherwise, you or someone else will eventually be in for a cold shower.

In Electric Heaters

it's not quite as straightforward. There isn't a combustion chamber. But you can turn the power off and inspect all the fittings and open the element ports, left, and the port for the power cord on top of the tank, right. Look for signs of leakage and longtime corrosion.

Make sure the power is really off!

And when you're done, put everything back together the way you found it. It can affect the operation of the heater. Don't forget to turn the power back on or you'll have a cheap thrill the next time you take a shower.

About Solar Water Heater

Solar water heating is a technology that every homeowner can use to save dollars on utility bills. Questions most frequently addressed to the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) about solar water heating are answered below. Please note that many replies are general and more explanation may be required for those with individual questions. For additional information, contact the FSEC Public Information Office, call a solar dealer, or consult the references listed.

What is a Solar Water Heater?

A solar water heater uses the sun's energy rather than electricity or gas to heat water, thus reducing your monthly utility bill. When installed properly, solar water heaters are more economical over the life of the system than heating water with electricity, dedicated heat pumps, heat recovery units or propane.

In Florida, three types of solar systems are used: pumped, integral collector storage (ICS), and thermo-siphon. The direct circulation system (see Figure 1, page 2) circulates potable water from the water storage tank through one or more collectors and back into the tank. The solar collector is the main component of the solar system. It is usually a metal box with insulation and a black absorber plate that collects solar radiation and heats the water. The circulating pump is regulated by either an electronic controller, a common appliance timer, or a photovoltaic (PV) panel.

In integral collector storage systems, the solar water storage system is built into the collector. The potable water in the collector unit is heated by the sun and delivered by city or well water pressure to an auxiliary tank (which contains non-solar back-up heating) or directly to the point of use.

A thermosiphon solar water heating system has a tank mounted above the collector (normally on the roof) to provide a natural gravity flow of water. Hot water rises through piping in the collector, which is mounted below the tank; heavier cold water sinks to the lowest point in the system (the collector), displacing the lighter hot water which rises to the tank.

The ICS and thermosiphon systems are simple since they use no pumps or controllers and water always flows through the collector.

How do solar water heating system work?

As sunshine strikes the collector, the water inside it is heated. If the circulating pump is regulated by a PV panel, the pump starts turning as the PV panel is activated by the same sunshine. This direct current (DC) motor pump moves water from the tank through the collector and back to the tank. As the sun's intensity changes throughout the day, the circulating pump also changes its speed accordingly. By the end of the day, the water in the tank has been circulated many times through the collector and has been heated to usable hot water temperatures.

If the circulating pump is regulated by an electronic differential controller, a sensor at the outlet of the collector and a sensor at the bottom of the tank (Figure 1) activate the circulating pump when the water in the collector is about 15-200 F warmer than the water at the bottom of the tank. The pump then circulates water from the collector and the tank. This process continues as long as the water temperature at the collector outlet is about 50 F higher than that in the bottom of the tank. If the temperature difference decreases further, the controller automatically shuts off the pump.

Common appliance timers also may control system operation. The timer is set to operate during a period of the day when solar radiation is available to heat the potable water. It is important that the timers used in these systems incorporate battery back-up in the event of power failures. In order to avoid loss of energy from the tank during overcast days, the collector feed and return lines are both connected at the bottom of the storage tank. During normal operation, natural stratification allows the warmer water to rise to the top part of the tank.

During periods of insufficient sunshine or high hot water demand, a backup electrical element in the storage tank heats the water. The check valve prevents heat loss when the circulating pump is off. The circulating pump consumes only a small amount of electricity — around $5 to $10 worth per year, or in the case of PV — none.