A. O. Smith Standard ResidentialGas Installation Manual

28 • Residen al Standard Gas Water Heater Use and Care Guide
MAINTENANCE
28 • Residen al Standard Gas Water Heater Use and Care Guide
MAINTENANCE
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.
Draining and Flushing the
Water Heater
Tap water contains minerals that can
form sediment in the bo om of the
tank. The amount of sediment formed
depends on the hardness of your tap
water, the temperature se ngs, and
other variables. We recommend drain-
ing and fl ushing the water heater a er
the fi rst six months of opera on to de-
termine the amount of sediment build
up. If there is li le sediment, drain and
fl ush the tank annually. If there is a lot
of sediment, drain and fl ush the tank
more o en. Draining sediment extends
the life of the water heater.
To Drain and Flush the Tank:
1
Turn the gas control knob on
the gas control valve to the
OFF posi on.
Figure 40 - Turn gas control/temperature knob
OFF.
2
Turn the manual gas valve for
the water heater’s supply line
OFF.
3
Open a hot water faucet and
let the hot water run un l it is
cool (This may take 10 min
utes or longer).
Figure 41 - Let the hot water run until it is cool.
WARNING! Be sure the water runs
cool before draining the tank to
reduce the risk of scalding.
4
Connect a garden hose to the
drain valve and place the
other end of the hose in a
drain, outside, or in buckets. Note that
sediment in the bo om of the tank
may clog the valve and prevent it from
draining. If you can’t get the tank to
drain, contact a qualifi ed person.
5
Turn the cold water supply
valve OFF.
6
Open the drain valve on the
water heater.
Figure 42 - Draining the water heater.
7
Also open a hot water faucet
to help the water in the tank
drain faster.
8
Remove and inspect the
anode rod and replace if
depleted. The anode rod
requires a 1-1/16” socket.
Figure 43 - Anode rods from new (top) to par-
tially depleted (middle) to fully depleted stage
(bottom).
Anode Rod. The anode rod is a sacrifi -
cial metal rod that helps avoid corro-
sion and premature failure (leaks) in
the tank. The anode rod is a consum-
able item. Inspect the anode rod a er
the fi rst six months of opera on when
you drain and fl ush the tank. Replace
the anode rod if it is substan ally worn
out or depleted. Therea er, inspect the
anode rod annually or more frequently
if needed. If you use a water so ener,
your anode rod will deplete faster than
normal. Inspect the anode rod more
frequently, replacing the anode rod if
it is depleted. Obtain a new anode rod
from your local plumbing supplier or
have a qualifi ed person replace it. (An-
ode rods are a consumable item and
are not covered under warranty).
9
If a large amount of sediment
was present when the tank
was drained, fl ush the tank by
opening the cold water supply valve
and le ng the water run un l no more
sediment drains from the tank. Close
the drain valve when you are done.