Maintenance
Venting System
Examine the venting system every six months for obstructions and/or deterioration of the vent piping. Check all vent system connections for leakage and repair or reseal as necessary.
Remove all soot or other obstructions from chimney which will retard free draft.
Intake Air Screen
The intake air screen is attached to the inlet end of the combustion blower. Inspect the intake air screen every six months. The intake air screen should be cleaned of any buildup of debris or foreign material.
Temperature-Pressure Relief Valve Test
• Burn hazard.
•Hot water discharge.
•Keep clear of Temperature-
Pressure Relief Valve discharge outlet.
It is recommended that the
When checking the
To check the relief valve, lift the lever at the end of the valve several times, see Figure 25. The valve should seat properly and operate freely.
If after manually operating the valve, it fails to completely reset and continues to release water, immediately close the cold water inlet to the water heater and drain the water heater, see Draining and Flushing on page 29. Replace the
Valve with a properly rated/sized new one, see Temperature- Pressure Relief Valve on pages
Figure 25.
If the
NOTE: Excessive water pressure is the most common cause of
Expansion on page 13. The
DO NOT PLUG THE
explosion hazard
must comply with ANSI Z21.22- CSA 4.4 and ASMe code.
Properly sized temperature- pressure relief valve must be installed in opening provided.
Can result in overheating and excessive tank pressure.
Can cause serious injury or death.
Anode Rod Inspection
The anode rod is used to protect the tank from corrosion. Most hot water tanks are equipped with an anode rod. The submerged rod sacrifices itself to protect the tank. Instead of corroding tank, water ions attack and eat away the anode rod. This does not affect water’s taste or color. The rod must be maintained to keep tank in operating condition.
Anode deterioration depends on water conductivity, not necessarily water condition. A corroded or pitted anode rod indicates high water conductivity and should be checked and/or replaced more often than an anode rod that appears to be intact. Replacement of a depleted anode rod can extend the life of your water heater. Inspection should be conducted by a qualified technician, and at a minimum should be checked annually after the warranty period.
Artificially softened water is exceedingly corrosive because the process substitutes sodium ions for magnesium and calcium ions.
The use of a water softener may decrease the life of the water heater tank.
The anode rod should be inspected after a maximum of three years and annually thereafter until the condition of the anode rod dictates its replacement. Anode replacement is not covered by warranty.
NOTE: Artificially softened water requires the anode rod to be inspected annually.
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