The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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50 JULY 2015 FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com BIO: Charlie Bursey began his long career in the oil heating indus- try in 1963. He has delivered coal, kerosene and oil and serviced heating and cooling equipment. He has also man- aged service departments, worked for a manufacturer and currently works with F.W. Webb, Warwick, R.I. He is a recipient of the Association of Oil & Energy Service Professionals' prestigious Hugh McKee Award for making an outstanding contri- bution to the fuel oil industry; having had an understanding and cooperation with his/her fellowman; and having unselfishly aided the industry in education and related activities. CONTACT: ChasBursey@aol.com Charles Bursey, Sr. SERVICE l F O N T he Old- There are many water heat- ers that you may find in a basement that were installed 10-20 years ago that could be either gas, electric or oil and possibly still be in operation. And most of the time a heater's failure is not recognized until there is a cold shower or water on the floor. Years ago, most home owners were not aware of a magnesium anode rod and its purpose, which is to protect the tank by drawing corrosive ele- ments in the water from within the tank to the rod. The next time you get called for no hot water or you find water on the floor, take a socket and remove the anode rod. I would bet that you will find a great deal of the Anode rod eaten away, making the tank itself more vulnerable to internal corro- sion. Keep in mind that the size of the anode rod and gauge of the heating elements can be larger in diameter on the more expensive models, which can extend the life of the heater. This is also another way companies can extend the warranty beyond the competition. Also be aware that salt additives in the whole house water system can elevate the rate of corrosion to the rod. As far as maintance, periodically drain a small amount of water annually from the draw off valve until it comes clean. Next, with having a cor- rect replacement on hand, pull the anode rod from the heater annually and do a visual inspection of the rod and you may find it necessary to replace the unit. I know, many of you will say that there is never enough height to pull the rod, and I will agree that 90% of the time this is true. However you can always resort to the link type rod that is generally available at most plumbing supply wholesalers. Keep in mind this another way to not only extend the life of your customer's water heater, but gener- ate added revenue. Also look and see if the water heater manu- facturer's paperwork is on site, and if so look for the section that explains changing the anode rod and how it can affect the warranty. Show this to the customer. This can also validate the need for the change. Then you may also hear that there is a rotten egg smell coming from the heater. This is generally caused by a bacterial reaction with the magnesium anode rod which will produce hydrogen sulfide gas (also the rotten egg smell and often found in well systems). For a possible fix, try using hydrogen peroxide. On another note, when it comes to old, Can any- one remember the "SEPCO" electric water heater? This water heater was a heavy and long lasting unit. The New-Water heaters have been a hot topic (pun intended) since the new Department of Energy efficiency requirement went into effect on April 15th of this year. Many have said that this change only applies to the gas water heaters; how- ever, it does in fact apply to all of the commonly used residential gas, oil fired and electric units. The real concern seems to be how the new requirements will alter the design and the manufacturing process, which in turn will obviously cause an increase in cost to the suppliers, contractors and the end user. The new gas units will require more than the usual amount of insulation, which in turn will increase the size of the heater (especially in the larger gallonage units). We will also see newly designed baffles, and standing pilots are gone. I recently attended a meeting and flue damper changers were a big part of the conversation. The electric water heaters, will also have more insulation added, and this too will change the physi- cal dimensions of the tank. These changes may make it very difficult to replace an existing water heater, due to space limitations. I'm also told that some manufacturers are considering sending to the wholesalers a three-piece package that would include the tank, insulation and the enclosure. As of yet, I have not seen anything definite. I know that some contractors bought as many as 20 or more of the older model water heaters for two reasons: one cost and the other installation. As an added FYI, both the manufacturers and wholesal- ers can legally sell what they have in stock after the April deadline until all inventory has been depleted. I can assure you that the water heater manufacture's spent months planning and retooling for this man- date and at a great expense. I also hear from contractors that their custom- ers say on a regular basis that the big box stores sell heaters cheaper. This can be true, but what about the length of the warranty, their process to get the war- ranty and who pays for the return? This is a good time to buy a product that is not sold to the big box stores. In closing, I will always remember being told by my mentor, "you only get what you pay for." Water Heaters Old & New