24/7 Water heater leak in San Jose, CA

Issue description:

Causes of leaks

The water heater is a fairly simple device. Its basis is a container made of steel, covered from the inside with a protective layer that prevents premature corrosion of the walls of the container and, accordingly, prolongs the service life.

The coating of the inner surface can be made of enamel, glass enamel, glass ceramics, a protective layer of titanium, a layer of stainless steel and etc.

Usually this coating is the development of the manufacturer itself, and is kept in strict confidence.

There is a cover in the lower part of the boiler, into which a heating element, a thermostat and a magnesium anode are mounted. There is also a thermometer in the tank. From the bottom to the boiler, an inlet pipe from the water supply is connected and a hot water pipe leading to the shower and kitchen sink mixers is led out.

Outside, the tank is covered with a layer of polyurethane foam insulation and a decorative metal casing. The main reasons that contribute to the premature failure of the boiler tank are as follows:

if the pressure in the water supply system is more than 2 atmospheres, it is necessary to put a reduction reducer in front of the boiler, since when heated, the pressure will rise even higher, and an unacceptable deformation of the walls will occur in violation the integrity of the protective coating

immediately in front of the boiler entrance there is no safety valve that relieves excess pressure when the water is heated in the water heater

if the boiler is not prevented once a year, then scale will form on the walls and the heating element, which worsens operation of the heating element and leads to premature wear of the boiler itself. It is also necessary to change the magnesium anode once a year, which prevents corrosion of the walls - heating the boiler to a high temperature.

Do not drain the water from the boiler for a long time, - this leads to premature corrosion of the metal.

Applying in practice all the above warnings, you can significantly increase the service life of the storage water heater and thereby provide yourself with comfortable conditions for many years.

Problem solution:

If the cause of the leak is a faulty valve, then it is replaced with a serviceable part set to the same working pressure. When replacing, or better, even during the installation of a water heater, try not to use cheap Chinese products. Remember that the safety of your family directly depends on the valve. Good Italian safety valves with the same non-separable design, although they cost several times more, are bought once. As practice shows, in the future there are no problems with them. Connect a flexible transparent hose to the drain outlet of the device. This will help you visually evaluate the work of the part. Lead the end of the hose into a drain or a suitable container.

To remove the valve for replacement or cleaning, you will need a plumbing wrench and adjustable wrenches. The work is carried out in the following order:

Disconnect the boiler from the network

Shut off the cold water supply tap to the water heater

Open the hot water tap and completely drain it from the container

Press the lever on the safety valve and remove the remaining liquid from tank

Disconnect the cold water pipeline from the safety valve

Dismantle the valve

After cleaning or replacing the part, reinstall it in reverse order.

If the inlet pressure of your water supply exceeds the nominal pressure for which the accumulator is designed a water heater (you can find it out from the technical passport for the device), a pressure reducer is installed at the water inlet to the apartment.

A filter for preliminary water purification must be installed in front of the reducer, and its installation is carried out in strict accordance with the direction of fluid flow. About half of pressure reducers have a pressure gauge in their design, which greatly facilitates their adjustment and control of water supply system parameters.

Storage tanks capable of heating water to a certain temperature (in common parlance - water heaters or boilers) are most often installed in those rooms where there is no centralized hot water supply, or there is a high probability of its shutdown. This device does not lose its relevance from ancient times to the present day. So, the inventor of the boiler is rightfully considered the ancient Greek mechanic Heron of Alexandria (second half of the 1st century AD). The unit he created heated cold water with steam. Then they forgot about it, in connection with which in the late 17th - early 18th centuries they were forced to reinvent the apparatus. But, like any other household electrical appliance, even an improved water heater can break down as a result of the influence of internal or external factors, as well as due to the banal wear of parts. All the reasons why hot water does not come from the boiler, as well as ways to eliminate them, will be described in this material. If you need help with home water heater repair, call us right now!

Water heater leak in San Jose, CA

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