If you deal with plumbing clogs on a regular basis, you might find yourself struggling with bent wire hangers, chemical drain cleaner, and unfamiliar pipes. Unfortunately, unless you are a trained professional, all of your efforts might be in vain. Most people don't realize it, but it is possible to damage your plumbing by making a few missteps. If you use the wrong chemicals or you push a little too hard, you might end up dealing with damaged pipes or your clogging problem could get worse. Fortunately, you might be able to use this blog to help you to keep your plumbing flowing smoothly.
Hot water tanks are one of the most popular choices for water heating and storage in homes today. These large steel tanks hold hundreds of gallons at a time and store heat on a day-to-day basis. However, the water itself and any oxygen or other water softeners can cause corrosion in the tank, which leads to leaks over time. Here is how to prevent corrosion in hot water tanks.
The Anode Rod
Inside of every water heating tank, there is a rod called the anode rod. This rod is meant to rust, on purpose, to prevent the rest of the tank from rusting. The rod works by allowing all the corrosive elements of the water inside the tank to latch on to the rod itself (causing rust) instead of the rest of the water heater as various ions attempt to balance their chemical properties. This means that the rod will decay instead of the tank itself. The less rust inside your tank, the better. You will need to make sure your water heater has an anode rod that's whole and non-rusted before installing the tank, especially if the tank also uses water softeners. If the rod bends easily, replace it.
Protected Pipes
The steel tank itself is fairly resistant to corrosion, but the adjacent pipes made out of copper and brass are less so. These pipes handle gallons of water every day that may also be treated with water softeners, which increase the ability of the water to corrode. As such, you may want to install pipes with plastic protection instead of just metal alone. These plastic-protected pipes offer all the strength and pressure needs that regular pipes do, but prevent water from reaching the metal. This means that it will take much longer for the water to corrode the pipes and cause leakage.
Hot water tanks are a common choice for many homeowners as they easily and efficiently provide hot water to households. However, they do have a risk of corrosion and, therefore, water leaks. Two ways to prevent this involve installing a new anode rod and installing plastic-covered pipes. The anode rod sacrifices itself in order to allow the water to latch on to something intended to rust as opposed to any part of the hot water tank. Meanwhile, the plastic protection on the pipes prevents water from reaching metal it can corrode. These two methods can keep any water heater you decide to install free from corrosion for years to come.
For more tips, reach out to a local hot water tank installation service.
Share8 July 2020
