This is located near the bottom of the tank on the outside. This acts similar to a magnet by attracting corrosive minerals in the water to the rod instead of eroding the tank. This should be replaced about every years, depending on how hard your water is. The recommended water temperature setting by most manufacturers is between to degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have children in your home, you may want to keep it at a lower temperature. Additionally, setting your water heater to a lower temperature also saves energy and you can even turn down the temperature before you go on vacation to save energy.
The heating element turns on until the water heats to your set temperature. The most popular type of water heaters in the US is the conventional storage water heater , where water is heated to a set temperature and then stored at that temperature in a tank until a homeowner turns on the "hot" water tap.
This article teaches you how the two most popular types of water heaters, gas and electric, work and heat the water in your home. If you're interested in learning about alternative water heaters, check out our list of the pros and cons of the tankless water heater. Most gas and electric water heaters function similarly. The only difference is what heats the water. A gas powered water heater has cold water brought into the tank through a dip tube 1. This water is heated with a gas burner 2.
This burner burns gas, releasing extremely hot but toxic air up through a chimney in the middle of the water heater tank 3. The chimney moves this toxic air outside, all while heating the metal of the chimney 4. As this chimney heats up, the surrounding water is heated as well.
Heat rises, and water heaters use this to bring warm water through the plumbing of your home. Warm water rises to the top of the water heater tank and is moved throughout the home through the heat-out pipe 5. As you open the faucet for hot water, cool water is brought in through the dip tube 1 , displacing the hot water and pushing it through the heat-out pipe 5. Homeowners can set the temperature they would like their water to be heated with the thermostat 6 , which is connected to the gas line and brings the right amount of gas to the burner to reach the correct temperature.
Water heaters also have some protective measures. The temperature and pressure-relief valve, or the T and P valve , 7 will open and release water if the temperature of the water is too hot, or the pressure inside of the tank is too high. This helps to ensure the water heater doesn't explode. All water heaters have a drain valve 8 on the side of the tank to drain the water heater to reduce sediment build up, which should be done once a year. Learn how to remove sediment from your water heater.
Electric water heaters have a separate thermostat , while the thermostat on gas models is built into the gas control valve. Gas water heaters also have a heat limiting device to prevent overheating, a central, internal flue to vent gas and help circulate heat, and a thermocouple to shut the gas off in an emergency.
The differences between electric and gas water heater types are more apparent when you get down to the basics of operation. In both types, cold water enters the unit through the dip tube at the top and is funneled to the bottom of the tank, where it is heated.
In electric models, the thermostat is mounted flush against the side of the internal tank. When the thermostat senses that the internal temperature has fallen below the preset threshold, it triggers a switch or two, in the event of a dual element system that allows electricity to flow to the heating element. The heating element is in turn submerged in the water of the tank and heats up in the same way that an electric stove burner works, by passing electricity through a resistant material and converting energy into heat.
When the thermostat senses that the water has reached the correct temperature, it shuts off the power to the element. With dual elements, each with their own thermostat, they alternate heating the top and bottom portions of the tank as only one heating element is on at one time.
Gas models also have a thermostat, typically a small copper tube with a mercury sensor in the tip. They also have special sensor called a thermocouple that senses whether the pilot light is currently burning. If the pilot is out, the thermocouple will not allow gas to flow to the burner.
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