Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
How A Water Heater Is Made, Why It Fails, & How To Extend Its Life
A water heater is seldom given much thought, until it quits. It’s located behind a door or in the garage where they are out of sight. If you are experiencing leaks or no hot water, this article will give you insight into what may have gone wrong.
How Water Heaters Are Made
How Water Heaters Are Made – The Components In Electric and Gas Water Heaters
- Steel water storage tank
- (Gas) A flue pipe (for the burner) is centered in the tank and exits both the top and bottom
- Tank — coated with enamel paint on the inside
- Glass lining inside the tank — keeps water away from tank (glass lining cracks over time — cracking does not require replacement)
- Anode Rod(s) – attract corrosive elements in water to protect tank
- Dip tube — directs incoming cold water to the bottom of tank
- (Electric) Two Heating Elements inside the water tank — each with its own thermostat
- (Gas) One Gas burner below the water tank
- (Gas) A thermocouple ensures the pilot light is working. If not, the gas control valve shuts gas off.
- (Gas) A combined thermostat & gas control (shutoff) valve
- Insulation just under the metal outer enclosure.
- A metal enclosure which protects sides, top, and bottom.
- External Temperature & Pressure-Relief (T & P) valve on or near the top. During installation, a pipe extending from T & P valve down 2/3 of the tank. This diverts steam or hot water to the floor in the event the water heat malfunctions.
- External drain valve near the bottom.
Why Water Heaters Fail
Water heaters don’t last forever. Sometimes components fail (such as thermostat, gas control valve, heating coils in electric units, and Temperature & Pressure (T&P) valve). These parts can often be replaced without replacing the water heater.
The most common failure is a leak in the water storage tank. A leaking water storage tank requires the water heater be replaced. Leaking occurs when the steel water storage-tank corrodes through.
The manufacturer provides 3 Layers Of Protection for the steel water storage tank:
- Storage tank is coated with enamel paint on the inside
- A glass lining is inside the storage tank
- 1 or 2 Anode Rods, to attract the corrosive qualities of water
What Causes The Water Storage Tank To Start Leaking. The water passing through the water heater has impurities and corrosive properties.
1. Hard water contains a high mineral content. Hard water is formed when water moves over or through deposits of limestone and chalk which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates.
This map shows the degree of hardness in the water throughout the U.S. DFW is located in an area of Hard Water.
Sediment in most water heater tanks is usually the result of limescale buildup and rust. Sedimentation is one of the most common problems affecting your heater’s ability to heat water and shortening its life.
2. Aggressive / corrosive water causes the tank to start corroding. Aggressive / Corrosive water is defined as: a water quality which will dissolve metals from a home’s plumbing at an excessive rate.
This is made worse if the anode rod(s) wear out — their purpose is to attract the corrosive elements in the water, keeping them away from the steel water storage tank.
What Happens When Sediment Builds Up In Your Water Heater Storage Tank
Electric Water Heater: Sediment build up can reach the lower heating element. This will cause it to burn out, reducing the water heater’s ability to heat water by Half, and Doubling its recovery time while heating incoming water.
Gas Water Heater: Sediment build up covers the bottom of the tank (the burner is below the tank). The water heater must now heat water through a layer of sediment acting as “insulation” which reduces the water heater’s efficiency. It also increases recovery time while heating incoming water.
How To Extend The Life Of A Water Heater With Maintenance
The primary components of water heater maintenance consist of:
- Flushing the water storage tank once each year. *
- Replacing anode rods every 5 years (around the end of their lifespan).
- (Gas) Remove rust from the top of burner + bottom of the combustion-chamber (use a vacuum cleaner with its crevice-tool).
* Note: Annual flushing must begin at the end of the 1st year of service. If the water heater has not had annual flushes, flushing it now can cause the water storage tank to fail due to the disruption of the sediment in the tank.
This video shows a badly rusted water storage tank -and- lime build-up on an anode rod.
Note: As shown in the video, removing an anode rod can be a very difficult task. It’s possible to move the water heater while attempting to remove the anode rod. This could break the water pipe connections, or damage the area the rod screws in to. If you are not confident you can remove it, have it serviced by a plumber or leave it alone — doing only do the flush + combustion-chamber rust removal (gas water heater).
SUMMARY: We have recapped what a water heater is made of, what happens to a water heater during its years of service, and how to extend the life of your water heater with maintenance.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning replaces water heater components (other than water storage tank) and installs new water heaters.
We install Rheem Professional Grade Water Heaters. This grade of water heater (not available from big box retailers) has a thicker glass lining + the option for a 2nd anode rod. These features extend the life of the water heater by protecting the water storage tank from hard or corrosive water for a longer period of time.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.