HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR TANKS LIFE

by, Sid Baysinger

 

So seldom overlooked, yes you can double your water heater's life expectancy, simply by  flushing your tank once a year in the Sacramento areas or as often as every 6-months in other areas, and it only takes a few minutes to do. The optional "water heater pros" flush kit is recommended to fully remove the sediment build-up in your tank.

 

CAN SETTLEMENT BUILD UP, HURT MY WATER HEATER?

A small amount of sediment build-up probably won't hurt your tank, But a large amount definitely can.

 

A deep layer of mineral sediment in the tank can cause these issues:

 

• Slower heat transfer to the water, causing the water heater to overheat. Overheating can damage the inner lining, and weaken the steel tank, leading to pre-mature tank failure.

• If you have an electric water heater, sediment can cover the heating elements, causing the elements to burn-out.

• Displaces water in the tank, excessive sediment build-up in your tank, can cause much less useful hot water.

• Lowers the water heater's efficiency, increasing the cost to heat the water by taking longer to recover.

• Scalding, trapped water under a layer of sediment deposits can cause the water to become super heated, this super heated water (over 300 deg.) can suddenly erupt (cracking open the solid layer of minerals) releasing super heated water while bathing or showering, causing extreme scalding resulting in serious and permanent injury. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A REASON TO FLUSH YOUR TANK

INJURY: If you're hearing a boiling, popping, gurgling noise, and you've never had your water heater serviced (flushed), this sound is usually caused by the layers of sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank, flushing your water heater at this point may not remove enough mineral buildup to be safe, as this sound your hearing is super heated trapped water under the pancake layers of mineral buildup, this scalding water can and has reached temperatures greater than 300º.

 

HOW THIS HAPPENS: When water is heated at temperatures of 120º and greater, a rapid separation of minerals occur in the water, these minerals slowly settle to the bottom of the tank in time, and form of a jelly like substance, this jelly takes about a year to solidify and when that occurs, it's too late to flush it out. this is why we recommend flushing your tank every 6 to 12 months when the jelly stage has occurred and is easy to remove. When minerals are allowed to solidify and build up, these layers of minerals have been know to crack open while the water heater was operating, releasing this super heated water into the tank, if someone is taking a shower at the time the scalding water would rapidly travel through the pipes to the shower being used and severely injure the person in the shower. This has happened.

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ANOTHER REASON TO FLUSH YOUR TANK

DRY SKIN: Bet you never considered this fact, did you know? your water heater may be a contributing factor if and why you have dry skin, In this article we talk about minerals and how they form in layers at the bottom of your water heater tank, when the minerals are separating from the water as it is being heated, a jelly forms, it's in this jelly stage and concentration of these caustic minerals will leach into your hot water storage in high concentrations, and while your bathing or showering is when this will effect your skin in the form of dryness, some people even develop skin conditions especially with sensitive skin, just another reason to flush your tank on a regular basis.

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ONE MORE REASON TO FLUSH YOUR TANK

ACID WATER: Whats in our water? here's what the experts say, according to the USBR, NGWA, NCBI and SGAH, Sacramento Groundwater Authority says about 80% of our tap water comes from "Surface Water" (local lakes and rivers) and 20% comes from "Ground Water" (such as wells). Our local water as with all water contains trace minerals which are naturally present in all water, however some areas of the world have more or less of this and that minerals, according to the NGWA (National Groundwater Authority), The Sacramento region's water is found to have Manganese, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chorine, Aluminum, Silica, Iron, Nitrate and many more trace minerals too many to list, as minerals are separated and 

concentrated at the bottom of our water heater tanks the levels of caustic minerals (acid water) are present in a much greater form, these caustic minerals can eat at a water heaters steel tank causing it to leak and fail, this is the number one reasons why most water heaters are replaced, flushing these caustic minerals out of your tank on a regular basis is better for your skin, health and your water heater will have a longer life span.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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HERE'S HOW TO PROPERLY FLUSH YOUR TANK

1. Best way is to purchase an optional "Flush Kit", Water Heater Pros can provide and install this kit at the time your existing water heater is being replaced, this flush kit contains a full-port brass drain valve, replacing the factory installed conventional drain valve. our drain valve has a full-port (3/4") opening, verses the factory conventional small port (3/8" to 1/2") the use of this "Flush Kit" allows the effortless flushing of your water heater tank to maximize mineral removal.

 

2. Get a garden hose long enough to reach an existing nearby drain lower than the bottom of the water heater, or reach an outside area, be careful not to drain the hot water in shrubs, grass or trees as the water is very hot and can harm these plants.

 

3. Next, attach the other end (Female) of the garden hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of your water heater (all water heaters have one) and extend the hose to discharge the water as mentioned above.

 

4. Now simply open the drain valve by turning the valve handle counter clockwise (several left turns), some newer water heaters now have a screw driver slot, using a screw driver, turn same counter clockwise direction or until you hear water flowing, let the water flow under pressure for about 1-minute for every year of your water heaters age, example: 3-year old water heater, flush it for 3-minutes for a maximum of 5-minutes each year there after. Do not shut off any water or gas valves or electric breaker. Do not open the T&P safety valve or any faucet in the house or anywhere while flushing the tank as this task is not needed.

 

5. Now you are done, shut off the drain valve clockwise (turning right) or until off, detach the garden hose and put away for next time.

 

Note:

Don't be confused, you are not draining the water out of the tank, you are flushing the tank. By flushing the tank under city pressure, water is being discharged under high pressure, stirring up the accumulated sediment at the bottom of the tank and discharging this debris through the garden hose and out of the water heater. If you have any questions please call the pros at Water Heater Pros (916) 344-4500.