Operating Guide

MAINTENANCE
26 • Residen al Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater Use and Care Guide
Rou ne Maintenance
Rou ne maintenance will help your
water heater last longer and work bet-
ter. If you can’t perform these rou ne
maintenance tasks yourself, contact a
qualifi ed person.
Water Heater Mainte-
nance
A er the fi rst six months, drain and
fl ush the water heater and inspect the
anode rod. Depending on the hardness
of your water, repeat this process at
least annually, or more frequently if
needed. From  me to  me you may
need to replace a hea ng element or
a thermostat. All three maintenance
tasks are described below
Draining and Flushing
the Water Heater
Tap water contains minerals that can
form lime deposits on hea ng ele-
ments or sediment in the bo om of
the tank. The amount of lime deposits
or sediment depends on the hardness
of your tap water. The rate at which
sediment builds up depends on water
quality and hardness in your area,
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.
Draining sediment extends the life of
the tank, hea ng elements, and drain
valves.
• In areas with very hard water,
remove and check the heating
elements whenever you drain
the tank. If you have heavy lime
deposits on heating elements,
you will need to replace them
more often.
• Sediment may form large masses that
can prevent the tank from draining.
Have a qualified person use a de-lim-
ing agent suitable for potable water
to remove the sediment buildup.
• In most cases, it is easier and less
expensive to replace lime-encrust-
ed elements than trying to remove
heavy lime deposits.
To drain and fl ush the
tank:
1
Locate the water heater’s
circuit breaker and turn it OFF
(or remove the circuit’s fuses).
Figure 31 - Circuit Breaker
2
Open a hot water faucet and
let the hot water run un l it is
cool.
Figure 32 - Water Faucet
WARNING! Be sure the water runs
cool before draining the tank to
reduce the risk of scalding.
3
Connect a garden hose to the
drain valve and place the
other end of the hose in a
drain, outside, or in buckets.
4
Turn the cold water supply
valve OFF.
5
Open the drain valve on the
water heater.
Figure 33 - Drain Valve
6
Open a hot water faucet to
help the water in the tank
drain faster.
NOTICE! DO NOT turn electrical power
back on unless the tank is completely
full of water. This is an addi onal pre-
cau on to protect the elements against
dry fi re. Dry fi re occurs when power is
supplied to the electric elements with-
out suffi cient water in the heater. Dry
fi ring the unit will result in immediate
failure of the element. While this unit
is equipped with dry fi re protec on the
recommended prac ce is to ensure the
tank is fi lled with water prior to supply-
ing power to the unit.
7
Remove and inspect the
anode rod (see Repair Parts
Illustra on on back cover for
loca on of the anode rod). Replace the
anode rod if it is depleted.
Figure 34 - Anode Rods from new (top)
to par ally depleted (middle) to fully
depleted stages (bo om)
MAINTENANCE