HOT WATER HEATER

Carefully read the manufacturer's instruction for your specific brand and model of water heater.

Safety:  The area around a gas-fired water heater should be vacuumed as needed to prevent dust from interfering with proper flame combustion. The top of a gas fired water heater should never be used as a storage shelf.

 Temperature:  Set the water heater thermostat at the recommended setting; high settings waste energy. Recommended thermostat setting for normal everyday is "normal" on gas models, or 140º.

 Pilot:  Never light a gas pilot or turn on electricity when the heater tank is empty. Always turn off the gas electric power before shutting off the cold water supply (located at the top of the tank). Please refer to the instructions for your gas water heater for details.

 When you reinstall the cover panel remember to adjust the temperature setting with the regulating knob on the front of the tank.

 Hot water heaters sometimes collect small quantities of dirty water and scale in the main gas lines which may put out the pilot light.

 While away from the home for an extended period of time, set the temperature setting to its lowest point, but leave the pilot.

 Condensation:  Condensation inside your new water heater will in may cases cause a small drip onto the burner flame. This causes no harm and in most cases will disappear in a short period of time. 

Drain Tank:  Review and follow manufacturer's timetable and instructions for draining several gallons of water from the bottom of the water heater.

 This helps to prevent build up of chemical deposits from the water and prolongs the life of the tank as well as saving energy dollars.

 No Hot Water:  If you discover you have no hot water, check the pilot, temperature setting, and water supply valve before calling service. Refer to the manufacturer's literature for specific locations of these items and other troubleshooting information.

 To help you gauge your hot water usage, you may be interested in the following approximate uses of hot water:

         * Your dishwasher uses 14.9 gallons per cycle.

        * A shower uses approximately 3 gallons per minute.

        * A bathtub holds 30 gallons of water one-half full.

        * A large capacity clothes washer on the highest capacity setting will

            use approximately 27 gallons per wash, 18 gallons on a standard capacity

            washer at the highest setting.

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