Water heater corrosion is inevitable, especially for those who own heaters with storage tanks. A rusty tank means that the water heater is compromised in terms of performance and may eventually cause the entire unit to fail.
Thankfully, there are ways for you to prevent corrosion from happening.
How to prevent water heater corrosion
First, you can check the anode rods. These rods have a critical function in the water heater but they can be the cause for corrosion. They sometimes corrode within themselves and not corrode the entire water heater unit. Once the anode rods become encrusted with calcium carbonate, they will be unable to do their job of protecting the water heater unit. You may need to talk to a professional plumber for any concerns with your anode rods.
Another source for corrosion is the vent pipes. The vent pipes are those pipes that lead from the hot water heater to the outside of your home. Attempting to change these pipes yourself would not be a great idea.
When copper or brass pipes come into contact with your steel tank surface, the steel part becomes a prime area for corrosion and rust development. One way of preventing this from happening is to replace your water heater’s pipe nipples to plastic-lined nipples. You can reduce the corrosive contact potential greatly by doing this.
Electric water heater vs gas powered heater
One problem that’s specific to electric water heaters is the corrosion as a result from the heating element (that long steel coil found at the bottom). The heating elements are made of steel with copper sheathing and when it becomes wet, corrosion instantly occurs. To prevent this from happening, you may want to install galvanised unions with plastic-lined nipples on the tank’s top.
On a gas water heater, the combustion chamber is the primary culprit for corrosion and rust. Sadly, the combustion chamber is often left unchecked. You can check your owner’s manual on how to do proper maintenance for your combustion chamber.
The moment you see rust and corrosion in your water heater, get in touch with Ready Set Plumb and seek assistance.
