WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS OF A DEFECTIVE DIP TUBE?

• Loss of hot water pressure
• Low hot water temperatures
• Appearance of tiny white or gray particles in your hot water

HOW DO WATER HEATERS WORK?
A gas water heater is nearly identical to an electric water heater, except that it does not contain the two heating elements, but instead has a gas burner at the bottom, with a chimney running up through the middle of the tank.

A water heater consists of the following parts, as shown in the figure 2 below:

• A dip tube to let cold water into the tank
• A pipe to let hot water out of the tank
• A pressure relief valve (This is an important safety feature that keeps the tank from exploding.)
• A heavy inner steel tank that holds the hot water. Typically, this tank holds 40 to 60 gallons. It has to be able to hold the pressure of a residential water system, which typically runs at 50 to 100 pounds per square inch (psi). The tank is tested to handle 300 psi. The steel tank normally has a bonded glass liner to keep rust out of the water.
• Insulation surrounding the tank
• A drain valve that allows you to drain the tank to replace the elements or move the tank
• A sacrificial anode rod to help keep the steel tank from corroding
• A thermostat to control the temperature of the water inside the tank (Many electric water heaters have a separate thermostat on each element.)
• Heating elements to heat the water
  (These are the thick electric elements similar to those you see inside an electric oven.)

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON WATER HEATER PROBLEMS, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THEM?

• Sizzling Noises can be caused by condensation dripping on the hot burner.
  
  
• Water Heater Sediment
  Heating water causes calcium carbonate to precipitate out and settle to the bottom of the water heater. Water that gets under this layer of sediment can turn to steam when the heater burners come on and cause popping and other noises. Sediment build up can reduce the efficiency of your water heater and reduce the holding capacity of your water heater.
  Regular flushing of the water heater through the drain valve can help prevent sediment build up. Sediment can reduce the efficiency of the water heater and get into re-circulating lines and cause problems with circulating pumps and check valves.
  

1. Turn off the water heater:

• If you water heater is gas, set the gas valve to "Pilot" to prevent the burners from coming on while you are flushing it.
• If your water heater is electric turn off the circuit breakers to the water heater. If the water level drops below the heating elements and the water heater turns on, the heating elements will burn out quite rapidly.

1. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve. Make sure the hot water leaving the hose is in a safe area away from pets and children.
2. Close the shut off valve on the cold water inlet to the water heater.
3. Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the heater by lifting the lever. Leave the valve open.
4. Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater allowing the water to flow through the garden hose. If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold water inlet valve back on to "power flush" the sediment out.
   In some cases the sediment hardens into large chunks that block the drain valve. At times I have run the hot water out of the tank by opening a hot water tap and letting the water flow till it is cool so I could remove the garden hose and use a long screwdriver break to break up the clog . A very messy procedure.
5. When the water leaving the garden hose runs clear you are finished.
6. Close the drain valve and remove the garden hose.
7. Close the pressure relief valve and turn the cold water inlet valve back on.
8. Open a hot water faucet and let it run until no air bubbles come out.
9. Turn the water heater back on.

• Thermal Expansion
  As water is heated, it expands. If the inlet to the water heater is not blocked by a check valve, pressure reducing valve, or other device, the increase in volume simply travels back into the water source. If the inlet is blocked, this increase in volume will cause an increase in pressure, sometimes to dangerous levels.
  
  The temperature and pressure valve should relieve this pressure by discharging some water. A thermal expansion tank can be installed in the water line that will absorb the increase in volume preventing the relief valve from discharging water unnecessarily.
  
  
• Water Heater Condensation
  Condensation often occurs on water heaters when a large hot water draw occurs and thus a large amount of cold water enters the water heater. This condensation is sometimes mistaken for a leak in the water heater storage tank.

HOW CAN I MAKE THE MOST OF MY WATER HEATER?
Even if you don't want to install the newest energy saving water heater tomorrow, you can still get your old water heater in better energy shape.

• If the heater was made before 1992, wrap your water heater up in a water heater insulating jacket. This will reduce the heat lost through the walls of the tank by 25-40 percent. Caution: don't put a jacket on a model where the manufacturer says not to, and be sure that you don't cover the thermostat. Don't restrict the air inlets on gas- or oil-fired water heaters either.
• Insulate your hot water pipes to reduce heat loss on the way to the tap. Putting in heat traps or one-way valves in the pipes can cut loss, as well.
• Insulate the first 3 feet of cold-water pipe connected to water heaters, as well.
• When you go on vacation, turn the thermostat on the water heater off, or at least turn it down to its lowest possible setting. If your heater has a pilot light, make sure you know how to re-light it when you get back.
• Don't wait until an older water heater breaks to replace it. Most water heaters live 10-15 years. Have a plumber look at it and advise you on how much life it has left. If it is starting to go (or is just very inefficient) it may make sense to replace it now with a more energy efficient water heater.

ARE THERE INNOVATIONS IN WATER HEATERS THAT I MIGHT WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?
Within the last few years, a variety of new kinds water heaters have become available to consumers, for example:

• Point-of-use, or "Tankless" water heaters:
  Point-of-use water heaters are also known as "tankless" heaters because they have no (or only a small) storage tank. They are relatively small units that provide hot water on demand. They use gas or electricity for fuel, and can be installed near demand points, such as under kitchen sinks. They are often more expensive than a conventional water heater, but can cost less to operate since they don't maintain a tank full of hot water when not in use. A tankless heater typically provides 1-2 gallons of hot water per minute. Before installing a tankless water heater in your home, make sure its reduced capacity will be adequate for your needs.
  
  
• Solar water heaters:
  A solar water heater typically includes collectors mounted on the roof or in a clear area of the yard, a separate storage tank near the conventional heater in the home, connecting pipe, and a controller. Solar water heaters can reduce the annual fuel cost of supplying hot water to your home by more than half. Throughout the year, the solar system preheats the water before it reaches the conventional water heater. During the summer, it may provide all the required heat.
  
  
• Desuperheaters:
  A desuperheater is an attachment to your air conditioner or heat pump that allows waste heat from that device to help heat domestic water. In hot climates, a desuperheater can provide most of a home's hot water needs during the summer.