| Electric Elements | | | | diverter on top of the water heater along with the |
| Galvanic corrosion is most common in electrical water | | | | baffle. Using a flashlight, look inside the flue to make |
| heaters and appear on the electrical elements. The | | | | sure there is no water damage. If corrosion or rust |
| elements are the component that heats the water. | | | | appear, call a plumber for maintenance. Rust and |
| Elements have a copper sheath and a steel base and | | | | corrosion can occur inside a commercial heater as |
| if those specific parts become wet, electrolysis and | | | | well. If you have the tank drained, check the inside for |
| corrosion may occur. An electrical element may be | | | | rusting. If there is rusting, call the manufacturer. |
| corroded enough to fail to heat the water. If you | | | | Solar Systems |
| replace it and then in less than a year, the element | | | | Touching briefly on solar systems, it should be known |
| may corrode again, then it is due to a faulty anode. | | | | that solar water heating has come a long way since |
| Replacing the anode will prevent further element | | | | its inception in the 1800's. Almost all corrosion problems |
| destruction. One way to prevent corrosion is to install | | | | have been eliminated. Solar systems sometimes use a |
| galvanized unions with the plastic nipples on the top of | | | | heat exchanger. These machines have a special oily |
| the tank. Now you can thread galvanized pipe to the | | | | heat exchange fluid inside. The fluid does not drain in |
| steel plumbing into the wall. Like galvanized plumbing, | | | | cold weather because it does not freeze either. |
| plastic plumbing will never have to deal with galvanic | | | | Corrosion however may occur in this situation and |
| corrosion. PB and CPVC can adapt to most metal | | | | may need to be monitored in the colder seasons. |
| pipes. | | | | Vent Pipes |
| Corrosion Caused By Softened Water | | | | If you have a gas water heater, your vent pipes could |
| Softening water is the act of exchanging salt for hard | | | | be subject to corrosion. Your vent pipes are the piping |
| minerals in water. Often the salt becomes more | | | | system above the water heater that helps the |
| corrosive than the hard minerals. Softened water | | | | combustible gases coming from the water heater to |
| therefore consumes anode rods with greater ease. | | | | escape to the outside of your house. Do not operate |
| Anode rods inside softened tanks should be checked | | | | on the venting system yourself since plumbing codes |
| every two years, no more. | | | | are extremely specific and abundant when it comes to |
| Anodes | | | | your venting system. Just make sure you can't see |
| Anode rods are very important to the heater's | | | | any rusted holes anywhere on your vent pipes or a |
| long-term health. Sometimes an anode rod develop a | | | | unburned natural gas may escape through the holes. |
| very hard covering of calcium carbonate on 100% of | | | | Call a plumber if you find this problem. |
| its surface. This layer prevents the anode from from | | | | Corrosion Resistant Materials To The Rescue |
| stopping corrosion. The rod will look the same to the | | | | If you're concerned with corrosion problems in the tank |
| naked eye though. An anode that is covered in calcium | | | | lining itself, many tank linings are created out of metals |
| carbonate will bend easily and that is the only way to | | | | besides steel (which corrodes) and instead are made |
| tell. | | | | out of copper, stainless steel plastic, or cement. These |
| Combustion Chambers | | | | materials are better than the usual steel and glass lining |
| Combustion chambers in gas heaters have the | | | | found on most water heaters manufactured still today. |
| potential to rust and corrode. To check the combustion | | | | Ask manufacturers for tanks lined with materials other |
| chamber, first set the gas control to PILOT. Next | | | | than glass and steel if at all possible. |
| remove the hatch cover. Now remove the draft | | | | |