Inspecting Leaky Fittings On Water Heaters And Stopping Them From Causing Floods Or Worse

Inspect Fittings

Which fittings need inspection? Check all of the following: Look at the hot line and cold line. They are on top of the water heater. The cold line is on the right and the hot line is on the left always. If you don't notice any rusting, then move on.

Next, inspect the T&Pvalve. The T&P valve is located on top for some electricwater heaters. All other T%P valves will be found on the side of the tank. It looks like a spout with a one inch long movable lever. A piece of plastic pipe may be connected to the spout, but not in all cases. Sometimes there is no pipe attached to the spout at all. Check the drain valve which is at the bottom of the water heater. It looks like a standard outdoor hose bibb. Also check the thermostat located behind a panel on the upper half of most electrical water heaters.

In order to check these areas, simply wipe a cotton swab all around the areas. Look at the wiped swab for rust or moisture. If rust or moisture appear, wrap these areas with teflon tape or disassemble these parts and replace them. A plumber should be used for this maintenance.

Check the lower element on an electrical water heater as well. It will be found behind a panel on the lower half of an electric water heater. If moisture appears here, the gaskets will need to be replaced. Call aplumber for this service as well.

Leaky Fittings
As already discussed, the problem areas for leaks are the drain valve, heating elements for electrical water heaters,and the hot and cold connections on top. The ball valves on hot and cold lines can leak around the nut used to rotate the lever. Remember the hot and cold lines are the two plumbing lines on top of the water heater. This leak can in time destroy the tank enough to warrant a new tank. If you notice water stains on and around the tank, do not forget that the ball valves on top may be leaking all over the water heater. If you've followed some energy conservation advice and installed an insulation blanket around your water heater, just be aware that leaky fittings will be hidden beneath this blanket. Rusting may occur under a blanket more quickly than without one. Do not insulate directly around fittings, especially the hot and cold lines and the T&P valve.

Check out http://www.waterheater-info.com/ or contactjohnnyhayneser@gmail.com for contact information on solarwater heaters (they're the ultimate in energy efficiency), tankless water heaters (they save you money on your energybill), traditional tank-type water heaters (they're the cheapest and easiest to install), water heater repair and maintenance, brand information (there's a lot out there and looking from site to site is time-consuming), warranty information and which installer to hire.

Shrink Your Power Bills By Using Energy Conservation Equipment For Water Heaters

 

Electric Temperature Controls
If you have an electric heater, you can install a device
that allows the water heater to shut down operation while
no one is home or everyone is asleep.  This will reduce
heat loss.  Your utility company or a plumber can help you
install this device.

Heat Traps
Several heat traps may be installed on the water lines in
the house.  Ball valves may be installed on the cold and
hot lines directly above the water heater.  These valves
will physically block heat inside the pipes and tank from
escaping up and out of the water heater.  The ball valves
do cause some slight flow restriction though that may be
noticeable during high volumes of water use.  Another way to
create a heat trap is to take your flex connectors at the
top of the water heater and bend them into an inverted U
shape if at all possible.  Heat cannot travel past the top
of the U.

Low-Flow Showerheads
Attaching these to your showerhead simply uses less water
and in turn less heat.  It's as simple as that.  Low-flow
aerators can be attached to sink faucets as well.  A very
effective way to save energy and money.

Pipe Insulation
Insulating the hot lines will save heat as well.
Closed-cell foam can be wrapped around the pipes and makes
the job go very quickly.  Insulation blankets can be used
also.  Get thicker blankets rather than thinner ones.
Different types of pipe require different size insulation
too.  Copper and galvanized pipes have different
thicknesses even though they both say 1 inch.  Don't forget
to wrap the cold pipes three inches away from the water
heater too.  Do not, however, cover unions or fittings and
ends of pipes with insulation.  Any leaks will be more
severe if insulation is covering these spots.  Never cover
the draft diverter directly above gas water heaters.  This
could cause the insulation to catch on fire.  Different
insulations come with different self-adhesives.  It does
not matter much which type you use.  If you need to tape
the insulation though, use gas wrap tape, which looks like
electrical tape with writing on it.  Avoid using duct tape
since it will wear out faster.  Use scissors to cut the
tape and insulation if necessary.  Finally, plastic ties
are another way of holding insulation to pipes as well.

Recirculating Systems
Recirculating loops can be installed by any water heater
manufacturer.  These are very efficient but expensive to
install.

Vent Dampers
For gas heaters only, a vent damper is a metal flap just
above the heater.  Either a motor or actual heat is used to
open the vent flap.  The vent will never be all the way
shut at any time just in case of unexpected heat going up
the draft diverter.  It is unknown how effective these
devices are, but they seem to work better for indoor water
heaters.

Water Heater Blankets
This idea is best used for water heaters that are outdoors
or in naturally warm rooms.  Purchase insulation that has a
ranking of at least R-11.  The energy saved will be
substantial compared with lighter insulation such as R-6.
Wrap the entire water heater around and cut holes for all
the fittings such as the T&P valve, cold lines if any gas
burner housing on gas water heaters or electrical elements
on electrical water heaters.  Note that leaks on the water
heater will be difficult to see if the water heater is
covered in a blanket and rusting is more of a problem.
However, the energy savings from this idea make it worth
the risk.  Periodically check for wetness underneath the
blanket after installing it.


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Check out http://www.waterheater-info.com or contact
johnnyhayneser@gmail.com  for contact information on solar
water heaters (they're the ultimate in energy efficiency),
tankless water heaters (they save you money on your energy
bill), traditional tank-type water heaters (they're the
cheapest and easiest to install), water heater repair and
maintenance, brand information (there's a lot out there and
looking from site to site is time-consuming), warranty
information and which installer to hire...