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Frequently Asked Questions
A collection of interesting general information on water heaters including their impact, failures, maintenance components and tips on getting the most out of your own hot water tank.
The bottom of your tank becomes layered with a collection of waste that insulates the steel from the water promoting corrosion and bacterial growth while reducing efficiency and longevity. When done completely and properly, it will remove most of this sediment which will increase water heater efficiency, cleanliness, and prolong the life of the tank and its components.
Draining the tank is fairly simple and involves releasing the stored water via the factory installed drain valve. However, this usually does very little on its own to remove the sediment that is lurking at the bottom of your tank as it sits mired down below the drain opening and consists of compacted particles too large to fit through a standard valve. Flushing is a little more involved and is best accomplished by temporarily removing the factory drain valve and installing a full 3/4" outlet. The tank is then flushed with a focused stream of water to stir up and agitate the sediment and remove any loose scale via the enlarged opening.
The sacrificial anode is a protective device made of a highly reactive material used to prevent a less active material surface from corroding. It is consumed or "sacrificed" in place of the metal it is protecting. In residential water heaters, it takes the form of a long slender rod, usually made of magnesium or aluminum, that gets installed into the tank to protect its steel wall.
It protects your water heater from premature failure and helps to extend its service life significantly by stopping corrosion of any exposed metal on the inside of your tank. It is depleted as it protects your water heater and will eventually be expended and need to be replaced. It is so important to your water heater's longevity that all manufacturers stipulate you will VOID your warranty if you permanently remove it.
Most traditional water heater tanks are made of steel with a porcelain layer on the inside wall to protect them against devastating corrosion. However, the porcelain layer is never perfect and does not provide a 100% waterproof barrier. The anode takes over where the porcelain falls short to protect all exposed areas.
When the sacrificial anode rod is functioning properly, it will look very rough with a jagged and pitted surface as a result of the continued depletion of the sacrificial material. As it works, the volume of sacrificial material is reduced and the centre core wire begins to expose. Eventually, all the protective sacrificial material is depleted leaving only the core wire, thereby no longer affording any protection to the tank's interior.
The sacrificial anode rod is installed through the top on residential water heaters. It is located in its own special port about one third of the way from centre to the outside edge on most tanks, while on others, it is located in the hot water port and forms part of the outlet nipple.
Through routine preventive maintenance which includes annual tank draining and flushing as well as anode rod inspection a minimum of every 3 years with definite replacement of the anode rod every 6 to 9 years, depending on the tank. Such a program is highly cost effective: it keeps your maintenance costs to a minimum while maximizing your water heater longevity with a significant increase in service life.
All manufacturers recommend similar routine preventive maintenance, with slight variations in schedule and criteria. The main functions they all identify to help ensure a long water heater life for all their water heater variants are tank draining and flushing, temperature and pressure relief valve testing and sacrificial anode rod inspection and replacement.
Routine preventive maintenance is the key factor in ensuring the efficiency and safety of your water heater, as well as significantly increasing its service life. A proper program will save you money in the long run, reduce mess, cut down on aggravation and minimize downtime. An extended service life also means one less water heater to manufacture and that's also great for the environment.
Many years ago, I discovered the benefits of performing routine preventive maintenance on my own hot water tank and realized that homeowners are not made aware of this vital strategy when they purchase their water heaters. I've been repeatedly advised that my tank is well past its expected life and could "go at any moment", but I disregard their "advise" knowing what I know about water heaters and how to take care of them. My own tank is now over 22 years old and the one I service for my own mother is now over 26 years old and they are both still going strong. Based on this information, I wanted to advise people on this inexpensive opportunity available to them to significantly extend the life of their water heater, benefit the environment, and save them money, all at the same time.
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