You can’t be blamed in most cases for thinking the water heater has frozen but it probably hasn’t. In most cases just a pipe leading in or out of the water heater will be the problem and not the heater itself. The heater will have heat supplied either by its burner or, elements, which will prevent the tank from freezing. Even if the water heater stopped heating it would take quite a while for the insulated tank to cool down enough to freeze. It might happen after a long power outage or, if the house was vacated in the winter and the utilities were shut off without the home being properly winterized.

While either the pipe going in or, out of the water heater may freeze, especially if it is exposed to a cold draft many times the lines containing heated water may freeze before lines right along side them carrying cold water. This phenomenon is known as the “Mpemba Effect” which was discovered by a Tanzanian high school student Erasto Mpemba in 1963.

When troubleshooting a frozen water heater you will need to trace the pipes in and out of the water heater until you locate the area where it has frozen. Once you locate the frozen area apply heat carefully using a space heater, hair dryer or, heat gun, with a faucet open until the water starts to run again. When water freezes it expands which depending on where it freezes and in what order it freezes can exert a force in the area of 40,000-psi which can split virtually any material used in plumbing if it cannot expand enough to absorb that force without breaking. It is critical that you take action at the first sign of a frozen pipe to have a chance at avoiding damage.

Some of the things you should do when attempting to thaw frozen pipes is to turn up the heat. Many people may have thermostats set at a reduced setting to save energy, or, may have unused rooms turned down low to save energy. When you have frozen pipes it is time to turn up the heat in an effort to get the pipes warm and thawed. Open up areas where pipes run so the heat can get to them. If you have pipes in storerooms, closets, and cabinets, open the doors so the heat can get in there. If you have metal pipes you may be able to find a plumber that has an electric pipe-thawing machine. Electric pipe-thawing machines send a low voltage, high amperage electric current through the metal pipe, which can rapidly thaw the pipe. You don’t even need to know where it is frozen, all you need to do is clamp the cables on the pipe with the frozen spot between the clamps.

Once the pipes have been thawed and the water is flowing again you need to check carefully to make sure that none of the pipes have burst from the freezing and are now leaking. The pipes will not leak while they are frozen but as soon as they thaw will immediately leak if they have burst. Make sure that you know where to shut the water off to stop the flow beforehand.

After successfully thawing the pipes you will want to ensure that the pipes will not freeze again. The best solution really depends on the specifics of where the pipe froze. Sometimes blocking the path of the draft, and insulating will prevent future problems. Other times insulating the pipes will delay the effects of cold from reaching the pipes long enough that they will not freeze. Often electric heat tape such as Frostex can be installed which will keep the pipe warm enough to prevent freezing again.

A frozen water heater is something you want to avoid at any cost but it will only happen in a sustained outage with no heat and no energy supplied to the water heater. If you are experiencing an outage and a sufficient amount of time has gone by that the water heater is in danger of freezing you should shut of the electric and or, gas to the water heater and drain the water heater to prevent the tank from rupturing from the expansion of the water freezing. You should be able to drain the tank by shutting off the water supply to the water heater, opening the drain valve at the bottom of the tank, and then opening a hot faucet or the T&P valve to allow air to enter the tank so the water can flow out of the tank. This down and dirty draining of the water heater will save the water heater but you probably still face damage to the pipes from the effects of freezing. Having the water shut off to the home and opening everything up will possibly save some things from the effects of freezing. In an outage caused by a blizzard or, ice storm there is little chance of a proper winterization being done.

When a property is going to be vacated through the winter season and the utilities are being cut off the best option is to make sure that the property is winterized before the cold season or, as soon as it is vacated before the utilities are cut off. Weatherizing is not a precise science with a home that has not been designed for weatherizing such as a seasonal home. Even weatherized there still may be freeze damage but it should be less then it would be if weatherizing were not done. If you have allowed a frozen water heater to occur the best thing you can do is disconnect the water heater and get it outside before it thaws. This will prevent the ice from thawing in the home and leaking out of a ruptured water heater. There is no way a water heater can freeze and be used to produce hot water again.

The water coming into your home has many dissolved gases in the water that normally cannot be seen. Many gases can be dissolved into water such as atmospheric gases like oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and other gases. In addition to atmospheric gases there may also be gases introduced into the water from water treatment such as chlorine, ammonia, and hydrogen depending on what treatment techniques your water provider uses. Finally in your water heater there is an anode rod, which reacts with the water and can produce hydrogen gas. The anode rod liberates higher amounts of hydrogen in its first year of operation when the water heater is new. The aerator on the end of the faucet spout also introduces air bubbles into the water flowing out of the faucet to make the water stream soft and prevent splashing.

The optimum situation for water to hold the highest amount of dissolved gases is when water is cold and under pressure. When water is cold the molecules are contracted and there is more room between them for gases to dissolve into the solution. When water is heated the molecules expand and very little room is left for gases, this is evident as you start to heat water to a boil on the stove and as it heats you see bubbles form on the sides of the pan. The pressure holds the gases in the water very much like a bottle of soda or, Champaign where you don’t see any bubbles until the cap is opened.

The water in your water heater has all these gases and is under pressure, but as it comes out of the faucet spout it is no longer under pressure and immediately the gases in the water start to come out of solution giving the water a cloudy or, milky appearance which will start to clear at the bottom of the glass first and gradually clear all the way to the top. This can happen with cold water as well but is much more likely to occur with hot water.

This is simply the tiny air bubbles rising to the top and releasing into the atmosphere. There is no need to worry about this happening it is completely normal and at different times of the year may be worse than others. If the water does not clear after 5 minutes you should check with your water provider or, if you are on a well get your water quality checked.

A water heater that appears to be in decent condition without a lot of corrosion at the connections or, leaking is an ideal candidate for rebuilding. Changing out the thermostats and elements will restore the ability to produce a full tank of hot water for your use. Changing out a T&P valve will ensure that the water heater operates safely without building up dangerous temperatures and pressures within the water heater. Changing out the anode rod will help prevent the steel tank from corroding and leaking which would make you have to replace the water heater. If you want, you can opt to troubleshoot the water heater and replace only the components that have actually failed or, have worn or, been consumed. Generally when I’m rebuilding a water heater i replace it all rather than risk returning to replace something later. Of course you are dealing with an old tank still that appears to be in good shape but there is always a possibility the tank could start leaking tomorrow.

How To Drain The Water Heater

The first step when rebuilding the water heater is to empty the tank. Draining the tank is only necessary if you are changing the elements. The T&P valve and anode rod are located at or, near the top of the tank so a partial draining is all that is needed when working on those items. The first thing you need to do in order to drain the tank is to shut off the electrical power to the water heater. If you can run a garden hose from the drain at the base of the tank to a point that is lower than the water heater drain to drain the water you will not need a pump. Even if the hose goes higher than water heater drain as long as the hose end where the water comes out is lower the water heater will drain by siphoning. If the water heater is lower than the drainage point like in a basement installation you will need a pump that hooks up using garden hose connections to drain the water heater. I start the draining process by opening the drain valve allowing water to flow out using the water pressure in the water heater. Once the flow through the hose has been established I shut off the water feeding the water heater and open a hot faucet allowing air to enter the tank so it will continue to drain. Once the tank has drained down below the T&P valve connection I usually prop the T&P open as well. Once the tank has emptied and water stops coming out of the drain you are ready to rebuild the tank.

How To Change Thermostats

The thermostats are located under the two access panels on the side of the water heater. Always ensure that electrical power has been shut off to the water heater before removing the access panels. Electric water heaters in a home are typically powered with 240-volts which poses an electrocution hazard if the panel is removed while power is still applied to the water heater.

Using a screwdriver take the wires off the old upper thermostat keeping track of which ones supply the power from the power panel, supply power from the upper thermostat to the upper element, and supply power to the lower thermostat and element. Once the wires have been disconnected lift the tabs holding the thermostat in place and slide the thermostat up and out of the water heater. Slide the new thermostat into place under the locking tabs. The new thermostat may have slight variations in the terminals used so follow the instructions included with the new thermostat for wire placement on the new thermostat. Make sure that you tighten the terminal screws, loose connections can generate heat and cause the thermostat to burn out.

Once the upper thermostat has been replaced, move down to the lower thermostat and replace that as well. The lower thermostat is a lot easier with only two connections to make up. Make sure that both thermostats maintain physical contact with the tank because the temperature is detected by the thermostat conducting heat from physical contact with the tank. If the metal plate on the back of the thermostat is not touching the metal tank the water will not be heated to the correct temperature and dangerous overheating of the water can occur. Make sure the thermostat is set to a safe temperature in accordance with the plumbing code used in your area.

How To Change The Elements

The elements are also located under the same access panel as the thermostats just below the thermostats. They have two screw terminals for the power connections and in most cases the elements are a 1½” socket size hex head that screws into the tank. Most water heaters use 4500-watt elements and you should get replacement elements that match the ones your water heater uses. There are some water heaters that use lower wattage elements and some places sell 5000-watt elements, but you should not change the element wattage when replacing them. The circuit breaker and wires may not be able to handle the larger power requirements on higher wattage elements and lower power elements will reduce the recovery rate of your water heater.

One thing that you should consider is upgrading the quality of the element you install, at least on the lower element that typically does most of the work and can become buried in mineral sediment causing it to burn out. Elements made out of Incoloy which resists corrosion, are available, as well as low-watt density or, ultra low-watt density elements, which run cooler resisting burnout, yet still deliver the same amount of heat into the water. The lower wattage density elements still have the same wattage but the elements are longer and run cooler resisting burnout. Some ultra low-watt density element manufacturers actually claim their elements will not burn out from sediment buildup and can even be dry fired without burning out.

An inexpensive stamped steel socket is typically sold for replacing water heater elements but I have found they are difficult to use and often slip of the element. I prefer to use a 1½” six point socket and a breaker bar for replacing elements. Disconnect the wires from the element, and then use the socket to unscrew the element from the water heater, and pull it out of the hole. While the lower element is removed you should go in through the hole to remove the sediment from the bottom of the tank. I usually use my wet dry vac and a piece of 1” tubing on the end of the hose to get inside the tank, and get the sediment out. Take the new element and insert it into the tank then get the threads started and tighten with the socket. The weight of the element makes starting the threads difficult, you will have to press the element firmly into the hole to keep it straight when starting the threads. Once the element is tightened connect the wires to the screws and replace the plastic safety cover that goes over the thermostat and elements. Then replace the access covers and secure them.

How To Change The T&P Valve

When replacing the T&P valve on your water heater you should be certain to get a properly sized T&P valve for your water heater. In most residential electric water heaters a Watts 100XL T&P valve will suffice but you need to make sure the T&P you install is adequate. The drain line from the T&P valve will have to be unscrewed from the T&P valve so the T&P can be unscrewed from the tank. In some cases the drain line will have to be cut then rejoined after the T&P is replaced. If the T&P has 2 flat surfaces for a wrench then a large adjustable wrench can be used for removal. If it doesn’t have 2 flat surfaces then use a large pipe wrench for removal. Make sure if the T&P valve is located on the top of the water heater that you have the water heater braced to prevent it from spinning and damaging the pipe and wire connections. Put Teflon tape on the threads then apply Teflon paste over the tape to ensure a leak free connection and thread it into the water heater and tighten making sure the discharge lines up properly and reconnect the discharge pipe.

How to Change The Anode Rod

The anode rod is a sacrificial metal that is consumed typically in about 4 years although it varies with differing water conditions. The anode prevents the steel tank from corroding and replacing the anode when needed can greatly extend the life of your water heater. The anodes supplied as original equipment in water heaters are magnesium although certain water conditions may cause sulfur odors in which case an aluminum or, aluminum-zinc-tin anode should be used. Where there are clearance problems on top of the water heater a segmented or, flexible anode rod can be used. The anode will typically be attached to a plug, which screws into the top of the tank or attached to the bottom of the outlet nipple. On the plug type anode I use a cordless impact wrench and socket to remove and install them. If you use a socket and breaker bar or, are removing the hot outlet nipple using a pipe wrench make sure you brace the water heater to prevent it from spinning and damaging the pipes and electrical connection. Of course if the anode is on the hot outlet the pipe will have to be cut and rejoined as well. When putting the anode back in wrap Teflon tape on the threads and apply Teflon paste over the tape then thread the anode in and tighten.

Refilling The Water Heater

After rebuilding a water heater I close the hot faucet and turn on the water while the tank is full of air allowing the tank to pressurize while the drain is still open allowing the incoming water to blast against the bottom washing any remaining sediment out of the tank. Once the draining water is clear I close the drain and reopen the hot faucet to allow the air out and the tank to fill. Once the water is coming out of the faucet with no air I close the faucet and turn the power back on to start the tank heating.

The thermal expansion tanks used on water heaters should be listed as “Potable Water Expansion Tanks” which means they are constructed from materials that are safe to use on drinking water systems. Expansion tanks are also used on hot water boilers but the water in those systems are never consumed so the materials used are different. Make sure the right type of expansion tank is used on your potable water system. The expansion tank should be connected on the inlet side of the water heater and connected by a tee between the inlet to the water heater and the shut off valve on the inlet of the water heater. There should be no valve between the water heater and the expansion tank, which would defeat the protection provided by the expansion tank. The water in the tank will add considerable weight to the expansion tank and it should be adequately supported to avoid placing stress on the pipes. The tank may have a longer line plumbed to it allowing the tank to be remotely mounted. it does not have to be directly on top of the water heater.

Potable Water Thermal Expansion Tanks are made by a few different companies, Watts with their model PLT-5, PLT-12, PLT-20, and PLT-35 tanks used in residential and light commercial, and Amtrol with their Therm-X-Trol model ST-5, ST-8, ST-12, and ST-25V tanks also used in residential and light commercial are very popular. Larger commercial water heating systems would require using an ASME Rated expansion tank. The tanks are made of drawn steel that has a rubber bladder dividing the tank into two sections. On one side there is a threaded connection that allows water to enter the tank. On the other side there is an air valve similar to the one on a tire through which the air pressure of the pre-charge on the air side of the bladder can be adjusted and checked. The pre-charge should match the typical pressure on your water supply system. The air is able to compress which allows the expanding water to enter the expansion tank with only a slight increase in system pressure preventing the water heater tank from experiencing pressure cycles and providing a substantial increase of the service life expectancy of your water heater.

Another common cause of aerators that started in recent years was defective plastic dip tubes that were installed in many makes and models of water heaters between August 1993 and October 1996. Perfection Corporation supplied plastic dip tubes for many of the water heater companies as a component, that was defective resulting in a Class Action Lawsuit which is now past. The dip tubes broke down into small pieces, which are white or, whitish grey often-clogging aerators, washing machine inlet screens, showerheads, and other restrictions where the debris could catch. You can check the debris to see if it is a dip tube problem by soaking the debris in vinegar and see if it breaks down in the vinegar or, not. If the debris does not break down chances are that the debris is not minerals but is a dip tube problem. Researching your water heater serial number you probably will find your water heater on the list of water heaters with the defective dip tube. The remedy in this case with the newest water heater with the defective tube being 13 years old at the time this article was published is probably best to just replace the water heater with a new one. The water heater would be close to the end of its expected service life.

To clean the aerator simply unscrew the aerator from the faucet, once the aerator is off the faucet run the water to flush out the faucet with any debris which might be remaining coming out. Take the aerator apart keeping the parts in order of assembly so you will be able to reassemble the parts then clean out any debris in the aerator. Usually a sharp pointed tool can pick any debris caught in the restrictor and make sure the holes are all clear. The screens usually rinse clean or, may need a finger rubbing across them to clean them. Then reassemble the parts in order putting them all back together. Then screw the aerator back onto the faucet and test for proper operation. In cases where the aerator has a severe build up of minerals from hard water you can soak the aerator over night in vinegar or CLR to remove the mineral build up then reinstall the aerator on the faucet. Aerators are very inexpensive and can be replaced as well.

When faced with not enough hot water you need to first examine whether there is a sufficient capacity of hot water available to meet your needs. A tank storage type water heater can be expected to deliver about 70% of the volume of the storage tank before the incoming cold water dilutes the outgoing hot water dropping the temperature 20-degrees F. Add to this figure the recovery rate at which your water heater can heat the incoming cold water and you will have an idea of your capacity. Tankless coils heat the water as you use it and they are rated in gallons per minute with what they can provide. Tankless coils can deliver their rated capacity endlessly but cannot exceed that capacity without a drop in temperature. Naturally both will be working harder in the winter when incoming water temperatures are much colder. An easy to determine method is that if the system has met your needs in the past and your hot water demand has not changed then something has gone wrong and needs to be fixed. If you are a new home owner then sizing may be part of the problem and should be looked at as well as possible problems that may be mechanical or, electrical. If you have a system which normally meets your needs but you have an unusual situation such as a large number of house guests you will need to determine if you should modify usage during that time or, go to a larger system to cover your needs during the unusually high usage.

Not enough hot water with tank type water heaters can be caused by a number of problems. A thermostat not functioning properly could be causing the temperature of the stored water in the tank to be lower than it should be. Typically the thermostat has a temperature, which it turns on the heating, and a temperature at which it turns off. This is called the differential and sometimes when a thermostat ages and fails when the tank slowly cools the thermostat does not always turn on when it should. People will often figure this problem out when they find if they just jump in the shower they run out of hot water, but if they use water first causing the water heater to reheat then shower they have enough. With electric water heaters a frequent cause of not enough hot water is a burned out lower element due to a build up of sediment in the bottom of the tank, which causes only the top half of the water heater to have hot water. Older gas water heaters may have a similar layer of sediment, which insulates the bottom of the tank from the flame slowing the recovery rate. Another problem that many older water heaters face that were built between August 1993 and October 1996 is they were built with a defective dip tube. Almost all the manufacturers used the dip tubes that had the defect and this resulted in a class action lawsuit, which is now past the settlement date. The dip tube in these water heaters disintegrated often showing up as a white-grey debris, which clogged aerators, the dip tubes function is to direct incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank. With a disintegrated dip tube incoming cold water mixes with and dilutes the outgoing hot water causing the water heater to provide cold water before its storage capacity should have been exhausted.

Tankless coils in boilers may provide not enough hot water as they age and become clogged with minerals from the water. With hard water the buildup is usually faster and you may be able to have the coil cleaned by a plumber who will flush the coil with a acid which breaks down the minerals. Sometimes the coil is beyond repair and in these cases installing an indirect water heater on a separate zone from your boiler is a great idea. Indirect water heaters can provide abundant amounts of hot water sometime several times the amount of a similar sized gas or, electric water heater.

Problems on the distribution side can also make it so you do not have enough hot water. Sometimes water heaters and tankless coils may have a tempering valve on them, which mixes cold water with the outgoing hot water to maintain a safe temperature and prevent scalding. This tempering valve can make it seem as though the hot water has run out. A failure that often happens with the tempering valve is that you have hot water when you run a kitchen or, lavatory faucet but when you use a larger flow fixture like a bath tub or, a clothes washer the water rapidly changes to cold or, never gets hot. Sometimes a defective cartridge on a faucet can cause the hot water and cold water to have a cross connection which can cause temperature problems. Moen and Mixet are two of the better-known valves which can cause a cross connection. Any faucet where both the hot and cold water can be turned on allowing a connection and have the outlet turned off can cause this problem. Sometimes too the problem can be as simple as a hot limit stop on a tub/shower mixer that was set when higher cold-water temperatures were present and with the change of seasons the limit needs to be reset. In homes that have slab construction sometimes there may be a leak under the slab that is always flowing hot water. This constant leakage may make you not have enough hot water. Symptoms of a slab leak can be a water heater running almost constantly or, a hot spot on the floor.

As you can see by the many possible causes this is a problem that requires a careful logical approach to the troubleshooting and often there are symptoms, which you can give the plumber, which can aid in the diagnosis of the problem. Sometimes too you may be able to find the problem yourself. In any case not enough hot water requires careful methodical troubleshooting to determine the exact cause and misdiagnosis can be quite costly. There is a big difference in cost between turning a screw on a hot limit stop and installing a new water heater or, repairing a leak under the slab.

A hissing or, popping sound when the water heater is reheating is one of the more common sounds a water heater makes. When water is heated the water molecules expand taking up more room leaving less room for other things in the solution. The hardness minerals dissolved in the water such as lime feel this molecular expansion and precipitate out of the solution falling to the bottom of the water heater. The minerals build up on the bottom of the water heater and if you do not periodically flush the water heater will eventually coat the bottom of the water heater and may even cover the lower element in an electric water heater. This thick layer of minerals acts as insulation and keeps the water from having direct contact with the element of bottom of the tank. Water entrapped in the blanket of minerals being heated by the element on an electric water heater or, by the bottom of the tank on a gas water heater actually makes a series of small steam explosions as it is heated making hissing and popping sounds. If you have waited this long to flush your water heater the build up is probably quite hard and will not break up with just flushing. With gas water heaters the efficiency of the units will suffer, as the heat does not pass through the blanket of minerals as efficiently. With electric water heaters the build up covering the lower element will also affect heat transfer and many times will cause the element to overheat and burn out. With electric water heaters it is possible when changing a lower element to reach in through the hole for the lower element and break up the minerals so they may be flushed out.

A tapping noise or, buzzing noise when water is flowing can be caused by heat traps installed on the inlet and outlet of your water heater. Heat traps are basically small automatic valves that seal the inlet and outlet of the water heater when water is not flowing keeping the heat inside the insulated water heater instead of allowing the heat to escape into the pipes where it would be lost. Some manufacturers use heat traps that use a mechanism like a marble to seal the heat in. When water is flowing the “marble” moves in the flow making a tapping noise. Other manufacturers use heat traps, which have a flexible flapper type valve. This flexible flapper may vibrate at certain flow levels causing a buzzing sound when water is drawn. These sounds are generally harmless and will seem loudest at the inlet and outlet although the sound may transmit some distance away.

A banging noise when the water is shut off is usually water hammer. Water hammer is caused by the momentum of the water moving in the pipe coming to a sudden stop. The noise will often be a series of bangs louder at first and tapering off then stopping. Pipes that are not properly secured moving from the momentum can be a cause as well as excessive velocities of the flowing water in the pipes. Undersized pipes, and or, excessive pressure can cause the higher velocities. The pressure of your water supply should not exceed 80-psi and if it does a pressure-reducing valve should be installed in most cases with the pressure-reducing valve a thermal expansion tank should also be installed. Excessive velocities in a pipe may cause erosion of the pipe material resulting in leaks. Water hammer is a problem that may cause damage to components of your water supply system and should be addressed.

Jackhammer sounds are almost always accompanied by pulsations in the flow of water. This is usually caused by something loose in the stream of water, which in a sense is turning the water on and off rapidly making a constant series of water hammer type noises. These noises will often vary with the flow volume and may often disappear or, appear only within a certain flow range. Many times the loose debris may be a rubber washer on a valve that has come loose often from recent use. This is something that should be addressed as often it indicates a valve that will no longer function.

In any case while some noises may be harmless and not require any attention some may be serious and require repairs. For your safety it may be best to have a plumber check the noise out for you and determine its cause and if repairs are needed. Some noises particularly those relating to a gas burner operating on a water heater may be very serious and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Bradford White’s ICON System Gas Control Valve uses a thermopile as a sensor to provide an electric signal that the pilot light is lit. This thermopile generates about 750-millivolts, which in addition to providing the pilot signal also provides the electrical power to operate the microprocessor and gas valve. There is no external power required for the ICON System to operate. The ICON System mounts to an immersed thermowell, which screws into the water heater tank providing a watertight pocket the thermister rests in almost completely surrounded by the hot water in the tank. This thermowell allows the gas valve or, thermister to be changed without having to drain the water out of the tank making change out of either component a quick and easy task. The older gas valves did not use a thermowell and the temperature sensing was integral to the gas valve so draining of the tank was required to replace the gas valve. The Thermowell is constructed from an advanced polymer composite that is exceptionally strong despite its plastic appearance. In testing the thermowell withstood over 600 pounds without failing and when tested to failure the steel tank failed not the thermowell.

The Bradford White’s ICON System’s microprocessor uses the temperature readings from the thermister in the thermowell to provide extremely accurate temperature readings of the water in the tank. Previously the readings were accomplished with a bi-metal thermostat, which would bend differently depending on the temperature of the water in the tank. This mechanical design had a wider temperature differential and is slower to react which in some cases resulted in what was referred to as “Morning Sickness” where a water heater had been sitting overnight without reheating giving the first user in the morning a short shower with a fast ending. The Icon System takes constant temperature readings from the thermister and uses algorithms in the microprocessor to maintain tight controls and have a faster reaction to incoming cold water when water is used to not only eliminate morning sickness but provide a higher 1^st hour delivery of hot water by jumping the gun and turning on with a faster response time than the older mechanical gas valves.

The Bradford White’s ICON System has a green LED, which provides indications of functions such as the pilot light being lit without having to bend over and peer into the combustion chamber to see it. Lighting the pilot is as easy as turning the knob to the pilot on position and pressing the knob while pressing the piezo igniter button several times then waiting about a minute and a half for the LED to light with a single flash followed 3 second delay before flashing again. The LED also provides diagnostic codes to aid in troubleshooting the water heater making trouble shooting as easy as counting the flashes and reading the chart. The thermopile also provides signaling if a FVIR (Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant) event occurs and shuts the burner and pilot off to provide complete safety.

Installing the Bradford White’s ICON System Gas Control Valve on older water heaters as a replacement valve is no more difficult than changing out a conventional gas valve. The tank requires draining because the older conventional valve does not have a thermowell and the pilot assembly also requires changing for the newer thermopile style assembly but, once that is done the upgrade is complete and any future work will not require draining of the tank. You will also have all the benefits the ICON System provides on your older water heater.

If you are in need of a new water heater or, replacing a gas valve on an older Bradford White water heater ask your plumber about installing a new Bradford White water heater with the ICON System installed or, a new Bradford White Icon System Gas Control Valve.

There are a few different things that can cause the ECO to trip all of which involve the ECO getting too hot.

A bad thermostat that does not shut off allowing continuous heating of the water even after the set temperature has been reached is a possible cause of ECO tripping. Your water heater has 2 thermostats, an upper and lower under the two access panels, as well as two elements. Either thermostat sticking in the on position could cause the element it serves to continue heating the water until the water in the tank is heated to 180 Degrees F when the ECO opens cutting power to the water heater.

A loose electrical connection either where the wires connect to the upper thermostat or an internal loose connection can generate heat caused by high resistance inside the thermostat causing the ECO to sense the heat of the bad connection rather than the temperature of the water in the tank causing the ECO to trip.

A bad element that is shorted to ground near the center of the element may also cause the water in the tank causing the ECO to trip. Because the element is shorted to ground near the center of the element the short does not have a high enough current draw to trip the circuit breaker and it continues to heat. However, the way the water heater electrical power is switched the power still is applied to the element even when the thermostat shuts off. The water heater is supplied with 240-volts which means both of the power leads are hot leads. Only 1 side is switched and in normal operation that is fine. But, when the element is shorted to ground there is still the power on the unswitched side available, which will flow through half of the element to ground as 120-volts continuing to heat the water until the ECO trips.

Wiring diagram typical to residential 240-volt non-simultaneous operation water heaters.

Your residential electric water heater is wired for 240-volt non-simultaneous operation where the power is initially applied to the upper element, then when the upper thermostat is satisfied it switches power to the lower thermostat for heating the lower section. Once the lower thermostat is satisfied the power to the element is shut off until either thermostat calls for heating again.

Troubleshooting is relatively easy with basic electrical knowledge and skills with a screwdriver and a basic multimeter. Caution is needed as the electrical voltage is 240-volts AC and severe injury or even death can result from electrical shock. The ECO is also a critical safety item of your electric water heater. If the water in the water heater was allowed to continue heating uncontrolled the one remaining safety device before a water heater explosion is a T&P valve functioning properly. If you do not have the skills required to safely and properly test your water heater please call a Licensed Plumber. 411Plumb assumes no liability for this advice or your ability to accomplish it safely.

Testing The ECO

Under the upper side access panel measure for voltage passing through the ECO switch to the thermostat section of the upper thermostat. If the voltage is present and being supplied to the thermostat section then move on to testing the thermostat and elements. If voltage is not present then the ECO switch requires resetting. If the water in the tank is still to hot it must be cooled down to allow resetting the ECO switch. Run hot water from a faucet to cool the tank. If the ECO switch will not reset replace the upper thermostat. If the Eco switch resets then move on to testing the thermostat and elements.

Testing the Elements

To test the elements turn off the power to the water heater and remove both the upper and lower side access panels. Disconnect both wires off the screw terminals on each heating element. Measure across the two screws with a multimeter set top resistance and the resistance should read about 12.8 Ohms for a 240-Volt/4500-Watt element. Then measure resistance from each screw to the water heater tank. This measurement should be an open circuit or infinite reading. If there is any connection from either screw to the tank the element is shorted and needs replacement.

Testing the Thermostat

With the tank cold turn on power to the water heater and measure for voltage from the top thermostat to the upper element, it should read 240-Volts. Check for power being fed to the lower thermostat and element, in this case it should read 0-Volts. Once the upper thermostat is satisfied the power supplied to the upper element should be 0-Volts and the voltage supplied to the lower thermostat and element should read 240-Volts. Once the lower thermostat is satisfied the lower thermostat should shut off power to the lower element.

Note: If testing reveals a fault of the internal wiring of the water on a water heater with foam insulation the wiring is generally not repairable and the water heater should be replaced.

Each year about 5.5 Million water heater tanks fail and start to leak, often leaking hundreds and even thousands of gallons before detection. The leak is sometimes slow at first and not noticed or, it starts at a fast leak but many times the leakage isn’t noticed until severe water damage to the home has occurred. Protection in the past was available from reusable sensor valves that shut off the water supply to the water heater but did not shut off power to an electric water heater or shut off the burner on a gas or oil fired water heater. Another was a one time use device that could shut off the water supply only on electric and oil fired water heaters but could turn off a gas water heater. Not shutting off the heating while shutting off the water in many cases can result in a hazardous dry firing condition that can result in a fire or, explosion danger.

The Watts FloodSafe Water Detector Shut Off for Water Heaters has an electronic detector pad that can detect as little as 1/16” of water in the pan below the water heater. When water is detected the electronic detector pad sends a signal to the control unit which then closes a valve on the water heater supply line, sounds an alarm, and sends a signal to the power cutout module. The power cutout module varies depending on the type of water heater you have but it will shut off the power to an electric or oil fired water heater or, shut off the burner and pilot on a gas fired water heater. The alarm can even be tied into a remotely monitored alarm system so you can be notified of the problem. After the unit has tripped if there is not a water heater failure the unit can be reset, in the case of a gas water heater the pilot light will require relighting. The Watts FloodSafe Water Detector Shut Off runs on 120 VAC plugging into any receptacle and has an optional battery back up power supply that can run the system for 36 – 48 hours in the event of a power outage. If your water heater is installed with out a pan a dam can be installed around the base to contain any leaking water so the detector pad will activate quicker.

Watts Floodsafe Water Detector Gas Water Heater System Shown

The installation of the Watts FloodSafe Water Detector Shut Off is relatively easy but Watts does recommend installation by a licensed plumber and in the case of an electric water heater a licensed electrician as well. The gas water heater detector systems are part numbers WDS-SP-L for left hand thread thermocouples, and WDS-SP-R for right hand thread thermocouples. For electric water heaters model WDS-E220 is used. On oil fired water heaters model WDS-SI is used. All models are available in ¾” and 1” sizes. MSRP prices vary from $268 to $320.45 depending on the model and size needed.

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