Draining; Maintenance; Care/Cleaning Of Water Heater - Rheem HB Series Use & Care Manual

Care and cleaning of the water heater
WARNING: Disconnect
all power to unit before
starting maintenance.
Failure to do so can cause
electrical shock resulting in
severe personal injury or
death.
DANGER: Before
manually operating the
relief valve, make certain
no one will be exposed to
the danger of coming in
contact with the hot water
released by the valve. The
water may be hot enough to
create a scald hazard. The
water should be released
into a suitable drain to
prevent injury or property
damage.
NOTICE: If the
temperature and pressure
relief valve on the hot
water heater discharges
periodically, this may be
due to thermal expansion
in a closed water system.
Contact the water
supplier or your plumbing
contractor on how to
correct this. Do not plug
the relief valve outlet.
Draining the Water Heater
CAUTION: Shut off power to the
water heater before draining water.
DANGER: Before manually
operating the relief valve, make
certain no one will be exposed to the
hot water released by the valve. The
water drained from the tank may be
hot enough to present a scald
hazard and should be directed to a
suitable drain to prevent injury or
damage.
Routine Preventative Maintenance
Properly maintained, your water heater
will provide years of dependable
trouble-free service.
It is suggested that a routine
preventive maintenance program be
established and followed by the user.
It is further recommended that a
periodic inspection of the electronic
control, heat pump and wiring should
be made by service personnel qualified
in electric appliance repair.
Most electrical appliances, even
when new, make some sound when
in operation. If the hissing or singing
sound level increases excessively,
Contact a qualified installer or
plumbing contractor to inspect.
IMPORTANT: See "DANGER
on left". At least once a year, lift
and release the lever handle on the
temperature pressure relief valve,
located on the side of the water heater,
to make certain the valve operates
freely. Allow several gallons to flush
through the discharge line to an open
drain.
It is recommended to clean the
filter on top of the heat pump every
month. Clean by washing with
mild detergent and water. Dry and
replace over discharge fan. Remove
the filter by lifting up on the handle
at front of the heat pump and lifting
it off the air discharge fan. See
Figure on right.
In order to drain the water heater, turn
off the cold water supply. Open a hot
water faucet or lift the handle on the
relief valve to admit air to the tank.
Attach a garden hose to the drain
valve on the water heater and direct
the stream of water to a drain. Open
the valve.
A water heater's tank can act as a
setting basin for solids suspended
in the water. It is therefore not
uncommon for hard water deposits to
accumulate in the bottom of the tank. It
is suggested that a few quarts of water
be drained from the water heater's tank
every month to clean the tank of these
deposits.
Rapid closing of faucets or solenoid
valves in automatic water using
appliances can cause a banging noise
heard in a water pipe. Strategically
located risers in the water pipe system
or water hammer arresting devices can
be used to minimize the problem.
Filter
Handle
Filter
15