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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 Lowe’s® or have a qualifi ed
person replace it. (Anode 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.
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