Based on your location, mild weather or聽intense聽cold may be聽ordinary聽in the wintertime.聽In either case, your water heater聽has to work聽harder when the temperature drops聽outside the house. This聽begs聽the question — can water heaters freeze?
Although very rare, it’s聽certainly聽not impossible for a water heater to freeze. The聽main聽concern is that any standing water聽within聽the tank or tankless unit will freeze and expand,聽permanently damaging聽the appliance聽at the same time. If this happens, you may聽be left with no alternative聽but to replace the water heater.
Rest assured that聽water heaters are聽built聽to聽stay聽operational聽no matter聽how cold聽it gets outside.聽Nonetheless, it聽is always prudent聽to take聽safety measures聽if聽sub-zero temperatures are in the forecast,聽especially聽if your water heater is聽set up聽outside.
Drain the Water Heater
Before聽going away聽on an extended聽getaway聽this winter,聽consider聽emptying聽the water heater to聽avoid聽a聽辫濒耻尘产颈苍驳听诲颈蝉补蝉迟别谤聽while you’re away. You聽can also聽drain the tank if聽there is a power blackout聽to avoid聽possible聽freezing.聽For added protection, you聽may want to聽install a freeze protection solenoid valve, which opens聽conveniently聽and drains the water heater during a power聽outage.
Here’s聽how to accomplish this task yourself:
- Shut聽off the cold-water supply valve, gas supply valve, and temperature control knob.
- Flip the circuit breaker,聽delivering聽electricity聽to the water heater.
- Fasten聽a hose to the drain valve or place a bucket聽beneath聽it to聽catch聽the water.
- Open the valve to聽create聽the flow of water.
- Keep聽draining until the tank is empty, then close the valve.
Leave the Water Running
Consider聽keeping聽a trickle of hot water flowing from a faucet or two until the聽arctic cold weather聽subsides. The聽resulting slight increase in your water bill聽is well worth聽averting聽a frozen water heater. This聽approach聽also helps聽prevent聽frozen and burst pipes.
Install Insulation
Plumbing insulation is very affordable and comes in a variety of forms. You can insulate your water heater tank with a聽special聽blanket to help聽minimize聽standby heat loss and聽give聽protection against cold weather.
Not surprisingly, pipes are more聽inclined聽to freeze than water heaters.聽Along with聽running a trickle of hot water, you can聽shield聽exposed pipes聽located聽outside or along exterior walls by wrapping them in foam insulation.聽You can also聽install electric heat tape to聽ensure the pipes don't drop in temperature below freezing. Only聽a few聽types of heat tape are compatible with insulation, so read the聽instructions聽carefully if you plan to use them together.
Put in a Hot Water Recirculation System
The聽primary聽intent聽of this system is to聽move聽hot water to the tap聽rapidly,聽shortening聽the wait time and reducing the聽quantity聽of water that聽is wasted聽down the drain. A hot water recirculation system is聽simple, water-wise and energy-efficient. It also聽keeps your pipes warm in the winter聽and makes your tankless water heater less聽susceptible to freezing. These聽paired聽benefits could聽justify聽the installation cost,聽particularly聽in cold climates.
Pick聽a Suitable Installation Spot
Almost all聽North American聽properties聽have indoor water heaters.聽However, in mild southern climates, water heaters are聽sometimes聽installed in the garage or even outside. While this聽approach聽is聽fine for those climates, the聽occasional聽deep freeze can have聽catastrophic聽effects on outdoor water heaters.聽For this reason, you should聽demand聽that your next water heater be聽setup聽inside, or at聽minimum聽in a covered聽area聽sheltered from the wind.
Choose a Water Heater with Built-In Freeze聽Protection
Most聽tankless water heaters have built-in freeze protection that works in temperatures down to -22 degrees F.聽Don't buy a tankless water heater without this feature, especially if the only聽alternative聽is to install it outside.
Different聽products聽use different freeze-prevention methods.聽Many聽have an electric element that聽yields聽just enough聽heat to聽prevent聽internal freezing. Others聽fire up聽the gas burners to聽raise the temperature of聽a small amount of water and,聽in short, keep the tankless cabinet frost-free.
No matter聽the method, water heater freeze protection is only聽successful聽when聽utilized. First, check the unit to make sure this feature is聽engaged. Then, for protection during a聽power failure,聽look into聽purchasing聽a small portable generator, a whole-home standby generator, or a battery backup power supply for your tankless water heater.
Schedule Water Heater 天美传媒
For more information聽about your pipes or water heater聽possibly聽freezing this winter, turn to 天美传媒. Our well-trained plumbers can聽accomplish聽any聽water heater repair or replacement聽you need. We can also聽recommend聽steps to help your pipes and plumbing appliances last longer in any weather. For more information or to聽arrange聽a visit, please contact a聽天美传媒 office near you听迟辞诲补测.
