Hot Water Services

• Servicing your hot water system should be a routine exercise like servicing your car
• We were called out for a major service. Check out what happens when we do a tank flush.
• Learn what needs to be done when a plumber services your hot water system
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe!

In today’s video, one of our top dogs, Richard, is on the mission to revive a hot water system by replacing its eroded anodes. Most people underestimate the process of maintaining their hot water systems. There’s a general assumption that replacing anodes once every 2-3 years will suffice to maintain the quality and life of the hot water system, but this is an oversimplification and doesn’t provide ideal results.

The Tank Flush

To our Plumbdogs, hot water maintenance alone is not simply replacing sacrificial anodes. Flushing the tank to remove the anode sediment at the bottom of the tank means that you are bathing in quality water and prevents blocking your tap filters around the house.

The anodes work as a life support system for the tanks. They are made of magnesium, which reacts with the impurities to save the tank from any infection that might cause harm or depletion. The sacrifice that these anodes make result in their periodic reduction, which at the end settles at the bottom of the tank in the form of powdered magnesium.

To maintain the tank’s smooth functioning, it is vital to timely replace these anodes as and when they wear off. The anodes work as a shield to preserve the tank’s quality by enduring the destruction of the impurities.

Over the period, the impurities keep on scoring at the base of the container, making it a severe cause of concern. With time these deposits become dangerous as they attack the bottom part of the tank and become a cause of corrosion.

Replacing Sacrificial Anodes

Plumbdog Rich shows us what’s involved with replacing the worn-out anodes from the tank with the new ones to keep the tank’s condition intact.

He removes the anodes from the top of the container and shows us how the old anodes have been exhausted and totally broken down. All of the magnesium has broken down rod over time and the residue remains sitting in the bottom of the tank.

In the next step, Richard performs a tank flush to get the flush out the residue. Check out how the entire floor is covered anode sediment. For those who have not done a proper service or have called in those who simply replace the anode and move on to the next job, after watching the video you can easily see the damage that could be caused if more sediment built up to the hot water system and the quality of the water to your home.

Thanks for watching and don’t forget to like the video, share, and follow our YouTube channel.

• Have you noticed a rumbling or popping noise from your hot water system before?
• Most people think it’s just a normal sound since the water is boiling
• Did you know that the quality of your water could be greatly reduced because of your hot water system?

Have You Heard your Hot Water System Making a Popping or Rumbling Noise?

There’s a good chance that you’ve heard your hot water system making some rumbling sounds. There’s probably also a good chance that you didn’t think much about it because that’s what happens when water boils right? If that’s the case then it’s best to read on.

The sound might be caused due to the accumulation of minerals like magnesium in the bottom of the tank. When you use the hot water system or heater for a longer time, the magnesium rod that is present inside the unit starts to degrade due to the hot water. The mineral particles get loose from the rod and get accumulated in the bottom of the bank making the noise and warm air comes out constantly if you want to replace the magnesium rod and reduce the rumbling noise, better to hire the professional plumbers who have years of experience in this field.

Why Hiring Plumber From Plumbdog Plumbing Is The Best Choice?

Professional Perth Plumbers like Plumbdog Plumbing (did you like that tongue twister?) are one of the most trusted and reputed plumbing service providers having an experienced plumbing team using the latest skills and techniques that will help in repairing your hot water systems, block drains, gas plumbing, general plumbing services, water leak detection and more. We like to say that we have “All the Gear and Every Idea!”

Sediment Build-Up Will Affect the Water Heater System

A small amount of build-up wont make any difference. However, a large amount of sediment will surely make the difference to the functioning of a hot water system. A deep layer of sediment accumulated at the bottom of the heater tank can create the following issues-

1. Slows down the transfer of water causing the water heater to get overheated. The overheating of the system can damage the lining of the hot water system and weaken the steel tank, which will cause further leaking of the tank.
2. If you are using the electric water heater, the sediment can cover the electric heating rod that causes the rod to burn out later, causing the popping sound.
3. Too much sediment will displace the water in the tank; it means that you do not have any available hot water in the tank.
4. Lowering the water heating capacity. Thus it will increase the water heating bills.

These are some of the issues that are caused by the accumulation of sediments in the hot water system. If you notice any one of these above-discussed issues, you can surely hire the expert plumber who will provide the best services to clear the sediment and clear the dirt from the hot water system. If the sediments and mineral accumulation is removed in the right manner, there will be no further sound coming out from the heater.

In the plumbing industry, the rumbling or popping noise is called ‘kettling’ and this indicates that your hot water system needs major service. In this type of scenario, our obedient Plumbdog plumber will visit your location, replace sacrificial anodes and complete a tank flush to remove the anode residues.

In the video, our obedient Plumbdog shows that the magnesium rod present inside the hot water system as the sacrificing rod will slowly degrade and the magnesium gets accumulated in the bottom of the heater. The rod gets replaced, and the hot water system is thoroughly cleaned.

• Common hot water problem – There’s low pressure from the hot water system and the water isn’t very hot. 
• Common cause – The hot water system has been left there doing its thing for years without a major hot water service or any maintenance at all. 
• Watch our local Perth Plumber, Top Dog Richard, at work on a property in Thornlie, Western Australia
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

On the job today, our customer is facing trouble getting hot water with a steady flow. The hot water system is a Rheem Stellar 360 gas water heater, manufactured in 2012. There’s no service sticker on the heater, which means it most likely hasn’t been serviced at all since installation.

The Tempering Valve

In a hot water system, the tempering valve is responsible for delivering the perfect hot water to 50 degrees inside the house. The valve mixes the right portion of hot and cold water to strike the ideal balance and prevents the user from burning due to water overheating.

The tempering valve installed on this property is calcified, suggesting it has been worn out, which is an excellent sign as it has done a fair job all these years. But to maintain the smooth functioning of the hot water system, you ought to replace it once every five years.

Taking his thorough investigation forward, the next thing that Richard checks is the water isolation valve, which on turning on, makes a rumbling noise that implies the overdue of the tank’s major service. This sound is the sign of complete degradation of magnesium anodes, which also means that there is most likely sediment in the base of the tank.

Other Checks

Examining the water isolation valve, cold relief valve and hot relief valve, all else appears ok.

Our obedient Plumbdog goes inside and checks the water temperature using the thermometer, which reads 43 degrees, seven degrees below the desired temperature. The flow of the water, too, is not up to the mark.

Fixing the Hot Water Issue

The ideal way of addressing this issue from the root is by opening the water heater and replacing the degraded anodes with new ones. The replacement and service is a costlier option but recommended for longevity of the hot water system. Due to budget constraints on the costumer’s end, we have a fix that won’t dig a massive burn in the pocket but our customer is still aware of the consequences of not performing a major service.

Note: because this a quick fix, there’s a fair amount of possibility of residue being stuck inside the valve with the residue already sitting in the tank. This fix could last a long time or it could quickly get blocked up again.

Warning

The tempering valve does a great job at regulating water temperature and stops the residents from getting scalded. The water in the house may be very hot but it’s not hot enough to cause and harmful damage.

We always recommend hiring a professional to do the job. Not only are we qualified and experienced with the right tools for the job, we are also insured and are aware of the consequences to each part of the process.

If you are keen to try replacing the tempering valve on your own, be especially aware that the water directly from your tank is much hotter than the water that comes out of the tap in your home. It can cause severe burns and as you can see from the video, hot water can continue to flow from the tank depending which system you have.

Final Check

Richard goes back inside the house and checks if the water is adequately heated. On checking, the thermometer reads precisely 50 degrees, which is the desired result, and the flow of the water has improved considerably.

If you face a similar issue at your place and need a Plumber in Perth, then do not wait any longer and give us a whistle! Our Plumbdogs will fix your plumbing problems using the knowledge of their expertise. We pride ourselves in being genuine maintenance plumbing specialists. Not only do we have all the gear and every idea, our specialist services also include water leak detection and repairs and finding and fixing blocked drains.

What is involved in installing your new hot water system?

Hot water systems are made to last anywhere from 6-15 years. Over this time, safety regulations have changed in both the plumbing and gas worlds…

There are a lot more items we need to check to make sure installations are compliant.

Before

We were recently requested to replace this unit and in doing so we needed to bring this install up to standard.

For the new unit we needed to install a heat trap, a tempering valve, an expansion control valve, 2 drains and a soak pit under each drain. We also needed to add a gas shut off valve.

For some units, there will be even more that needs to be done, like the addition of a concrete slab under the unit…

After

This is what the pipework looks like after all the new standards have been applied to the new install.

N.B. These items are NOT included in a straight swap install.

Continue reading to find out what each one of these items does to protect your system and house…

Heat Traps & Lagging (insulation)

Heat traps are valves and or loops of pipe installed on the cold water inlet and hot water outlet pipes on hot water systems. They allow cold water to flow into the system, but prevent hot water from flowing out of the system back up the cold water pipes.

Lagging is insulation used to reduce heat loss and conserve the energy consumed. It is important that the heated water piping has adequate insulation to minimise heat loss.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >> Heat Trap (And Insulation).pdf

Tempering Valves

A tempering valve ensures your hot water is at a safe temperature for personal hygiene use. A tempering valve has a temperature sensitive element which adjusts the level of cold water depending on the temperature of the water from the hot water system.

Regulations on safe water services are Australia-wide and fall under the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA). The water in a hot water storage system must be kept at a minimum of 60°C (AS3500.4.2 Clause 1.6) to prevent bacteria. The maximum temperature water can leave the tap is 50°C (AS3498) and a maximum of 45°C in institutions such as early childhood centres, schools, and nursing homes or other facilities where the young, sick, aged or disabled could be using hot water.

A tempering valve or other tempering device reduces your hot water temperature at the tap, to allow you to meet both Australian standards.

Tempering Valves should be replaced every 4 years.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >> Tempering Valves.pdf

Expansion Control Valves

Expansion Control Valves limit the maximum pressure in a pressurised, unvented water heater system by relieving excess pressure to the drain line.

Expansion Control Valves should only be installed on the cold or inlet installation on a water heater as the valve is primarily intended to cope with the excess pressure generated during a normal heating cycle.

Expansion Control Valves are safety valves and should be replaced every 4 years.

Temperature/Pressure Relief Valves

Temperature & Pressure Relief Valves are safety controls which ensure that the temperature of the water in a pressurised unvented water heater cannot exceed 99° C in the event that the normal thermostatic controls fail.

These valves may be used to guard against overtemperature and over-pressure hazards wherever water is stored in unvented containers. This is a requirement of Australian Standard AS 3500-4.

Temperature & Pressure relief valves are safety valves and should be replaced every 4 years.

Gas Shut Off Valves (not shown above)

Allows the manual isolation of the gas flow in natural gas and LPG systems. In the open position (gas is flowing) the handle (lever) will be parallel with the pipe, when it is closed (gas not flowing) the handle (lever) will be perpendicular to the pipe.

Read the Newsletter ‘Gas Focus’ for more details >> Gas Valve.pdf

Soak Pits

Required so that the release of steam or hot water is controlled and does not cause a nuisance, is readily noticeable and will not cause damage to buildings or injury to persons.

Some units will require two pits to be installed and they should have gravel placed in the bottom. One pit for the Expansion Valve and one for the Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >>  Water Heater (SOAK PITS).pdf

Gas Pressure Tests

As replacing a hot water system involves touching the gas lines, a gas pressure test will need to be carried out to ensure that the system and pipework is gas-tight.

After your system has been replaced

Your hot water system should be serviced every two years to make sure it continues working efficiently.
Read our post about Anodes to learn more about how a storage hot water system works and how to keep it running smoothly. Read the blog post

If you have any questions, please feel free to give Plumbdog Perth a call – 1300 884 146.