Installation Guide

Residen al Gas Water Heater Use and Care Guide for Manufactured Homes • 27
MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCE
Rou ne Maintenance
Rou ne maintenance will help your
water heater last longer and work
be er. If you can’t perform these
rou ne maintenance tasks yourself,
contact a qualifi ed person.
Draining and Flushing the
Water Heater
Tap water contains minerals that can
form sediment in the bo om of the
tank. The amount of sediment formed
depends on the hardness of your
tap water, the temperature se ngs,
and other variables. We recommend
draining and fl ushing the water heater
a er the fi rst six months of opera on
to determine the amount of sediment
build up. If there is li le sediment,
drain and fl ush the tank annually. If
there is a lot of sediment, drain and
fl ush the tank more o en. Draining
sediment extends the life of the water
heater.
To Drain and Flush the Tank:
1
Turn the gas control knob on
the gas control valve to the
OFF posi on.
Figure 36: Turn gas control/temperature knob
OFF.
2
Turn the manual gas valve for
the water heater’s supply line
OFF.
3
Open a hot water faucet and
let the hot water run un l it is
cool (This may take 10 min
utes or longer).
Figure 37: Let the hot water run until it is cool.
WARNING! Be sure the water runs
cool before draining the tank to
reduce the risk of scalding.
4
Connect a garden hose to the
drain valve and place the
other end of the hose in a
drain, outside, or in buckets. Note that
sediment in the bo om of the tank
may clog the valve and prevent it from
draining. If you can’t get the tank to
drain, contact a qualifi ed person.
5
Turn the cold water supply
valve OFF.
6
Open the drain valve on the
water heater.
Figure 38: Draining the water heater.
7
Also open a hot water faucet
to help the water in the tank
drain faster.
8
Remove and inspect the
anode rod and replace if
depleted. The anode rod
requires a 1 1/16” socket.
Figure 39: Anode rods from new (top) to par-
tially depleted (middle) to fully depleted stage
(bottom).
Anode Rod. The anode rod is a
sacrifi cial metal rod that helps avoid
corrosion and premature failure
(leaks) in the tank. The anode rod
is a consumable item. Inspect the
anode rod a er the fi rst six months of
opera on when you drain and fl ush
the tank. Replace the anode rod if it
is substan ally worn out or depleted.
Therea er, inspect the anode rod
annually or more frequently if needed.
If you use a water so ener, your
anode rod will deplete faster than
normal. Inspect the anode rod more
frequently, replacing the anode rod
if it is depleted. Obtain a new anode
rod from your local plumbing supplier
or have a qualifi ed person replace it.
(Anode rods are a consumable item
and are not covered under warranty).
9
If a large amount of sediment
was present when the tank
was drained, fl ush the tank by
opening the cold water supply valve
and le ng the water run un l no more
sediment drains from the tank. Close
the drain valve when you are done.