GE GE02P08BAR Owner's Manual page 7

Care and Cleaning
Exterior Surfaces
Hand wash with damp cloth, using only warm water. Wipe dry using a dry, clean cloth.
Routine Preventive Maintenance
DANGER
Risk of Scald
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.
NOTE: 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.
Properly maintained, your water heater will provide years
of dependable trouble-free service. It is suggested that
the following annual preventive maintenance program be
established.
1. Inspect Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve.
2. Drain and Flush the water heater tank.
3. Inspect all water connection locations.
Temperature and Pressure-Relief Valve:
Once a year, it is recommended to lift and release the
lever handle on the temperature and pressure-relief
valve, located on the front-right 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.
Most electrical appliances, even when new, make some
sound when in operation. If the hissing or singing sound
level increases excessively, the electric heating element
may require cleaning. Contact a qualified installer or
plumber for inspection.
49-6000248 Rev. 1
- Before manually
Draining and Flushing the Water Heater
CAUTION
Risk of Shock -
the water heater before draining water.
DANGER
Risk of Scald -
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.
A water heater's tank can act as a settling basin for
solids suspended in the water. It is therefore not
uncommon for hard water deposits to accumulate in the
bottom of the tank. To clean the tank of these deposits,
it is recommended to drain and flush the water heater
tank once a year. To drain the water heater, follow these
steps:
1. Turn off power to the unit. The electric heating
elements will become damaged if operated without
water.
2. Open a hot water faucet to let hot water run out. Allow
water to flow until water is no longer hot.
3. Turn off the cold water supply.
4. Disconnect the water heater from both hot and cold
water connections.
5. Siphon out the remaining water if possible.
6. Remove the water heater from the installed location.
7. Tilt the water heater to drain remaining water out of
the tank and flush out any sediment in the tank.
Shut off power to
Before manually
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