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A water heater is a popular way of providing yourself with hot water today, regardless of the specifics of your company responsible for water supply.
It is especially relevant in private houses because they often do not provide for centralized heating of hot water. In this topic, you will learn how to avoid water heater common mistakes on its installation and repair. 

An economical modern water heater allows you to get access to hot water quickly and inexpensively.
But did you know the other side of the coin? Due to improper water heater repair & installation or poor maintenance, your water heater can become a branch of hell on earth. Let’s take a closer look at the main mistakes in installing boilers and the features of its maintenance.

First, let’s talk a little about the device of a standard water heater.

Water Heater Design

So, your water heater, if it is electric, has the following design:

• Temperature sensor. With its help, the owner can at any time find out what temperature the coolant in the tank has. It is often designed as a scale with an arrow or a digital indicator.                                                This device makes it more convenient to operate the boiler. Even if this sensor fails, it will not affect the operation of the device itself. True, in this case, the user will no longer be able to find out to what temperature the water will be heated.
• Thermal insulation. Its presence allows you to store heated water for a long time. This element will never break.
• Hot water drain hose. It refers to those elements that usually do not cause problems for the owner.
• The outer shell of the water heater case. This part can be made of different materials g. metal, plastic, or a combination of both. The integrity of the outer shell of the case can only be broken if the device accidentally falls or the owner himself bears damage to it.
• Internal tank. It is usually made from stainless steel. Due to its small thickness, it can easily be corroded, which can also cause its failure. But if you provide regular maintenance, then for a long time it will not create problems for the owner.
• Heating element. This element plays a decisive role in the operation of the device since it heats the liquid. Moreover, more powerful models take less time to heat the water. In view of the fact that it is constantly used and exposed to corrosion, it is with it that the most frequent failures of water heaters are associated.
• Magnesium anode. A place has been allocated for it near the heating element. Its main purpose is to protect the tank and heating element from corrosion. It is very important to monitor its condition and, if necessary, change it to a new one.
• Cold water supply hose.
• Thermostat for the water heater. Thanks to it, the liquid in the device heats up automatically. There are several types of thermostats such as rod, capillary or Although there are models of different designs on the market, they still use the same operating principle. The temperature sensor constantly monitors the temperature of the liquid.Depending on this parameter, it sends signals to the thermal relay, which begins to close or open the power supply circuit of the heating element. Most often, two thermostats are provided in the design of the water heater: the first controls the heating of the water, the second monitors the state of the first. A feature of expensive models is the presence of three thermostats, and the task of the third is to control the health of the heating element. A failed thermostat cannot be repaired, so it is replaced with a new one.
• Insulating gaskets. They are essential for sealing and protecting against electricity. This element should also be changed in the event of a failure.
• Electronic control and management circuits.

If you have a flow-through water heater, the difference will be insignificant. It simply will not have a storage tank.

 

Water Heater Installation Common Mistakes That Are Important to Know About

When you buy a new water heater, it is important to accurately measure your hot water needs so that you have a heater large enough to supply them. Having done this, you can install the heater yourself, but it is recommended that you contact the repair service, since the owners who decided to install the boiler themselves sometimes make mistakes, and some of them can lead to damage to the heater or even injury.

Knowing common mistakes can help you avoid them and ensure a safe and efficient installation. But it’s not worth it better than specially trained craftsmen, you won’t be able to do it.

Here are 5 major mistakes that can occur and should be avoided when installing a water heater.

1. Connector

To connect a new water heater to the water pipe at home, we usually connect it with solder. Errors can occur in this process; for example, doing it too close to the water heater tank.

Because the heat from the solder can also melt the plastic layer inside the tank. A safe way to make this connection is to remove the pipe and solder it away from the tank.

2. Dielectric connection

Check the connector material of your water heater, whether it is brass or copper. Then check the pipe in your home to see if it is made of copper material. If one of them is made of copper, then we must connect them with a dielectric connection.

This connection is used to ensure that the pipe does not come into direct contact with copper, which can lead to electrical corrosion. This corrosion can lead to rusty and leaking pipes.

3. Good fastening

If your home is located in an earthquake-prone area, make sure the installation of the tank water heater is solid so that it can survive the earthquake.

4. First use

Many people turn on the water heater right away the first time they use it but don’t fill the water tank first. It looks trivial, but in fact, it is very important, especially when the water heater used is an electric water heater or gas.

Switching on the water heater with an empty tank may damage the burning elements of the tank heater. Therefore, remember to always fill the tank with water before turning on the water heater.

5. Leak temperature and safety valve

The temperature and pressure relief valve is a tool used to maintain the temperature of the water so as not to overdo it. This valve can open when the pressure inside the tube exceeds the maximum limit. Therefore, this valve may suddenly open and release hot water.

Therefore, this valve must be connected to a watertight pipe that is connected to a depth of 15 cm underground. A common mistake is that most people do not install these pipes or install them incorrectly, which could put people at risk if they leak.

No hot water is by far the most aggravating problem with a water heater. This means that the water heater is not working at all. In most cases, this does not work because the energy source – usually gas or electricity – does not produce heat.

The solution to the problem of lack of hot water will depend on the type of your water heater: gas or electric. While gas water heaters and electric water heaters look very similar, they heat water differently. And the equipment they use to convert energy into heat is not the same.

If the outside temperature has dropped significantly, your water heater must work harder to heat and maintain the cold incoming water. In addition, since the water cools more when it passes through the pipes through the unheated space, you need to adjust the dial of the water heater to a slightly higher temperature.

How Do You Know If Your Water Heater Needs Repair?

Of course, malfunctioning of the device may indicate a problem. For example, your water heater stops heating water, the tank does not fill up, the equipment does not maintain the set heating temperature, a leak appears in the tank, or the boiler simply does not turn on at all. Let’s talk a little about them.

1. Equipment does not heat water. The reasons for such a problem may be the failure of the heating element or a malfunction of the electrical part. The water may also heat up too slowly due to a large scale build-up on the heating element and the boiler needs to be cleaned.
2. The water is overheating. The boiler thermostat is out of order.
3. Boiler leaks, A problem that may be caused by a breach of the surface of the tank (due to corrosion or mechanical damage). The tank cannot be repaired and a new boiler is required.
4. The boiler is often switched on and off Too short intervals between switching on and off may indicate the appearance of scale on the heating element. Boiler maintenance required.
5. The plug or socket of the water heater heats up. The reasons for such a malfunction may be a mismatch between the power of the connected household appliances or cable and the capabilities of the electrical wiring in the house, or a discrepancy in the contacts in the socket or plug.
6. Noise from the boiler. The appearance of extraneous sounds during the operation of the water heater – noise, rattling, etc. Such symptoms are most often caused by the formation of scale on the heating element (in such cases, an increase in the time for heating the water is still observed).
7. Error on the electronic display of the water heater. Boilers equipped with an electronic control system may start to work incorrectly due to power surges. In such cases, the electronic module often fails, and its repair or replacement is required.

It Is Definitely Not Worth Repairing The Boiler Yourself!

First, it can be dangerous, because the risk of electric shock or flooding due to the water not drained from the tank is very high.

At the same time, a service company with professional employees will help you both with the repair and installation of water heaters, and with their regular maintenance.

You should also not forget about the last point. Tap water contains a certain mineral complex, which over time is deposited in the form of scale on the walls of the tank and heating elements. In parallel, the water may contain mechanical insoluble particles that settle in the tank and can clog the pipes.

In general, a water heater requires self-care and the right attitude. If you did everything correctly and regularly call the technician to repair and maintain the water heater.  Its stable operation for many years will be guaranteed to you.