Hot water heater leaking

[PandaBear]

How does that work? Unless you somehow shut off the cold water going into the heater it will leak regardless of what you did to your faucets. Your plumbing out be configured differently than mine. Shutting off faucets under the sink has no impact on the cold water entering the heater.

Yeah there is always a shutoff in the cold water into the heater, and each faucet (both hot and cold) has a shut off, but no shut off to shower. I have never seen any water heater only has outlet / hot shutoff but no inlet shutoff.

If you want to take out the water heater you have to shut off the hot side of the faucet inlet, the water heater's cold water inlet, and absolutely do not use the shower. If you take cold shower then this may be a problem because some cold water will backflow into the hot side. If you don't shower when the water heater is out, you should not get any water coming out of the hot side.

 

[gathermewool]

 

[Lubener]

^^^^^ If those are not dielectric couplers , I wouldn't expect a long life from that tank. ^^^^^^

 

[gathermewool]

^^^^^ If those are not dielectric couplers , I wouldn't expect a long life from that tank. ^^^^^^

Please explain. It’s pretty much the same setup as before and that one lasted 25 years.

With that said, I’ll replace the anode this time on time, along with more frequent flushes.

 

[Lubener]

Please explain. It’s pretty much the same setup as before and that one lasted 25 years.

With that said, I’ll replace the anode this time on time, along with more frequent flushes.

A diectric coupler isolates the copper pipe from the steel nipples attached to the steel tank. Don't care how long your old tank lasted. Joining of the two metals is not a good installation. From the rusty mess on your floor, it looks like your old tank was leaking for some time.

Galvanic corrosion (also called ' dissimilar metal corrosion' or wrongly 'electrolysis') refers to corrosion damage induced when two dissimilar materials are coupled in a corrosive electrolyte. It occurs when two (or more) dissimilar metals are brought into electrical contact under water.

 

[nomas]

You're not required to have a pan under it ?

 

[Nukeman7]

A diectric coupler isolates the copper pipe from the steel nipples attached to the steel tank. Don't care how long your old tank lasted. Joining of the two metals is not a good installation. From the rusty mess on your floor, it looks like your old tank was leaking for some time.

The corrugated flexible copper pipe used on the old water heater has plastic isolation ferrule washers inside the female threaded couplings to prevent the copper from direct contact with the steel nipples on the inlet/outlet ports.

Galvanic corrosion (also called ' dissimilar metal corrosion' or wrongly 'electrolysis') refers to corrosion damage induced when two dissimilar materials are coupled in a corrosive electrolyte. It occurs when two (or more) dissimilar metals are brought into electrical contact under water.

The new water heater was installed with ProPress style couplings that don't have a dielectric break. The copper parts are in direct contact with the brass transition adapter that threads onto the steel inlet/outlet nipples; thereby, creating a direct path for galvanic corrosion of the anode and steel tank liner. Here is a video that demonstrates how ProPress couplings are installed.

 

[KevinMalone]

I was under the impression that almost all new hot water tanks come with dielectric nipples now?

As for expansion tanks, we still don't need them as our water isn't metered (ie not a closed system).

And the braided flex lines caused all sorts of issues in the past, where the inner EPDM hose deteriorated rapidly if your water had high levels of chlorine. They use a clear PVC inner hose now which should be more durable.

 

[tmorris1]

You're not required to have a pan under it ?

Probably not in a basement. especially if it is on an unfinished floor with a floor drain nearby. Mine sits on concrete about 2 feet from a floor drain. No problem if it leaks.