How to properly maintain and care for the water heater

Like any home appliance, an electric water heater needs regular maintenance. In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions for use of the device. Otherwise, it may fail. We will analyze in more detail how to service the water heater, and what should be considered during operation.

Basic rules for using a boiler

A good quality boiler can last up to 15 years with proper use.

The basic rules for servicing a boiler are as follows:

1. Before starting the operation of the device, carefully read the instructions from the manufacturer. Each device has its own characteristics of operation.
2. An electric water heater is a sensitive device; therefore, it should be regularly serviced.
3. During the heating of the water, the temperature cannot be turned on to the maximum value. This mode of operation may reduce the functionality of the heater. At maximum performance, the device will work for no more than 6 months. With the maximum inclusion of the temperature regime of water, there is a high probability of getting a burn if a pipe or hose leaks.
4. Do not turn off the boiler if the shutdown is planned for a short time, for example, for a day or two. In this case, energy saving will be minimal, and equipment wear will not justify it.
5. If you do not use the heater for a long time, unplug it from the power supply, but do not drain the water. Otherwise, the tank will quickly rust. Before subsequent use, first drain the water, rinse the tank, fill it with new water and turn it on at full capacity. The temperature is maintained for at least 2 hours.

Boiler operation

What is the maintenance of the water heater?

Heating element in the boiler Electric boilers need regular maintenance. It consists in the following:

• at least 1 time in 6 months completely pour out water from the device;
• Remove the heating element from the housing and carefully inspect, if there is limescale on the heating element, it should be cleaned;
• when dissolving the magnesium anode on the PETN, replace it, replace the anode once a year, if the water is hard, a new element will have to be replaced more often.

Heating element in the boiler

How to carry out maintenance work?

Maintenance work - timely water heater cleaning and other necessary technical actions. Such measures will help extend the life of the device.

The most common problems that need constant monitoring include:

• Corrosion is one of the most common and dangerous problems. In order to protect the tank from corrosion, anodes are installed. When interacting with water and the elements contained in it, they cause corrosion. Anodes have a definite life and at the end of this period they should be replaced.
• Another problem with electrical appliances is scale. With a large accumulation of plaque in the boiler, the water heater begins to function worse. Firstly, it begins to consume more electricity. Secondly, in such sediments, a large number of bacteria multiply rapidly. They significantly reduce water quality. A knock in the device during its operation can signal a problem that has arisen.It is better not to use the boiler until the problem is fixed, otherwise it will fail completely. To protect the device from the appearance of scale, which is caused by hard water, use special water softeners or elements to remove calcium and magnesium bicarbonates. Magnetic polarizers are also very popular, which absorb calcium and magnesium salts contained in hard water before it enters the tank.
• Stray currents are another problem affecting the stable operation of the device. In addition, they can be dangerous to humans, so the device must be properly grounded. To protect against stray currents, you can create a ground loop.

Grounding scheme of a house on earth

Each user of electric boilers should know that the device requires regular analysis, cleaning of parts related to the category of consumables.

How to make grounding, you can see the video

How to drain water from a water heater?

Correctly drain the boiler - one of the important stages of preventive work. There are three ways to do this, the choice depends on the type of water heater:

• A tee is installed on the device with a tap, which is located between the pipe and the safety valve. In this case, the water flow is blocked, the tap opens, and excess water is removed.
• A lever can be installed on the safety valve to control the flow of water. For more convenient drainage of water, a hose is connected to the lever. Water on it will drain into the container prepared in advance. The process takes a lot of time, since the pressure of the water is small.
• A faster way is to unscrew the safety valve. This is done counterclockwise. The pressure in this case will be strong, therefore it is recommended to connect a hose through which water will drain into the tank.

If the valve is unscrewed and the water does not flow, the hot water supply system should be disconnected.

Relief valve location

How to disassemble a water heater?

To start the technical work, you need to understand how disassemble the boiler. The boiler should be serviced in several stages:

1. The first thing to do is disconnect the device from the mains. Then you can drain the water from it. If the boiler worked at full speed temperature, it is worth letting the water cool slightly to avoid an accidental burn.
2. Next, remove the check valve. It may interfere with disassembly of the water heater.
3. Unscrew the screws that secure the cover. We remove it.
4. It is better to photograph the electrical circuit under the cover. This will help to avoid difficulties during further assembly of the device.
5. Next, the water heater and thermal protection board are removed. The nuts of the bracket responsible for grounding are unscrewed. They should be carefully protected from moisture. After removing the elements, a hole is formed. It should be shut up.
6. The last step is to remove the thermostat from the flange sleeve. To do this, sharply pull it down. If the power wires interfere with this work, unscrew them in advance. The thermostat must be dismantled with extreme caution, as it may be scaled. Careless handling may result in damage to the component.

In some cases, it is necessary to dismantle both the internal and external control boards of the boiler.

Boiler analysis

TEN installation

After removing the heater, it must be descaled. This can be done using a warm solution of citric acid or vinegar.

After that, it is necessary to replace the anode and install the element back. In this case, it is impossible to use force when mounting the elements. This can cause deformation of the seat seat or squeezing of the seal. As a result, it will leak.

Then, in the reverse sequence, the assemblies of the electric water heater are assembled.

By connecting the nozzles of the device to the line of cold and hot water, it should be filled with liquid.To let excess air out of the tank, open the hot water tap on the mixer. After the tank is completely filled, check the waterproofing of the place where leakage can occur - pipe connection and flange seal.

IMPORTANT! It is only possible to turn on the appliance with a full tank. Otherwise, storage elements may fail.

Do not forget that regular and timely maintenance and care of the boiler guarantee its stable and long operation.