Category: Q and A

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Flexible Sacrificial Anodes: The Future of Water Heating Technology

Would you spend 449 including GST to increase your hot water cylinders lifespan by 10 years?

Of course! 

Imagine living in a place filled with a light cool breeze during the day, and freezing temperatures during the night. Turning on the faucets and having warm or hot water for baths, showers, washing, and whatnots is a complete comfort – the epitome and pinnacle of rest and relaxation.

In New Zealand, this isn’t an uncommon occurrence. For a country far from the sun’s rays on the equator New Zealand is definitely a cool place, abundant of rainfall and glaciers. Temperatures in New Zealand go from 10 degrees centigrade down south, and 16 degrees centigrade up north. Throughout the year, temperatures change ever so slightly!

A specific type of tank-type water heater is the Hot Water Cylinder, that uses supply water pressure and delivers hot water to showers and taps. As this type of system does not use a cold-water storage tank, it is designed for small spaces and sometimes limited access. Hot Water Cylinders are enclosed with safety mechanisms that include relief valves, thermostats, and somtimes expansion vessels.

Why You Need A Sacrificial Anode

The problem with this type of heating system is that it does not last very long at the constant pressure and heat changes it faces. That is where a sacrificial anode comes to place. This replaceable component helps maintain and control the rate of corrosion there is in the tank and is present in every water heating system. Sacrificial anodes are often made out of magnesium and attracts all corrosive elements to prevent metal breakdown.

In the span of 10 years, these anodes become very corrosive and will degrade, contributing to the damage of the heating system itself. What many people don’t know is that this anode can easily be replaced, expanding its life to over 20 years, and getting the bang out of your buck.

It should be noted that only steel hot water storage needs a sacrificial anode. It becomes a secondary type of protection to the steel in any hot water tank. Because anode rods are created using less sturdy metals than steel, the node fends off attack from minerals and other materials in your water. This is why anodes are called sacrificial.

Another thing that many people don’t know is that sacrificial anodes must be replaced every 5 years to get over 20 years of use from the hot water cylinder! The real problem now is replacing the anode in a really small, tight, and cramped place such as the hot water cupboard. Replacing this over 1 meter long component needs wide space and it should not be removed or disconnected in the cylinder, which is terribly a huge cost.

Why Use the Flexible Sacrificial Anode?

This is where the Flexible Sacrificial Anode comes into light! This type of sacrificial anode eliminates several other challenges when it comes to replacing the anode. There will no longer be a need to drain and remove the cylinders, and you will no longer have to put a hole above your ceiling for access!

This anode needs less than 250 millimeters of clearance and is very time efficient as it can be installed in an hour. Upgrading your sacrificial anode to a flexible sacrificial anode is the best choice to make, because expanding the life span if your hot water cylinder outweighs the costs of buying a new one every few years.

Where to Buy Flexible Sacrificial Anodes

Buying flexible hot water cylinder sacrificial anodes are no longer a hassle in the country. Companies like Rheem, a New Zealand staple since 1958, sell products that are at the leading edge of hot water heating technology that benefits not only residential areas, but also the commercialized areas of the country.

Hot Water Cylinders NZ invests in innovation and technology to improve your experience with hot water systems here in New Zealand. Our latest innovation allows you to replace your existing Anode without having to dismantle your whole water cylinder installation. Becuase conventional Rods are very long it is almost impossible to replace without disconnecting the entire cylinder and its pipework enabling this physically.  A flexible anode makes this possible and avoids these costs. Without much hassle our technicians will remove the degraded Rod and easily replace is with a flexible model keeping the hot water cylinder in its place which provides the same protection at a much lower installation cost.

Learn more about how to upgrade your sacrificial anode when replacing a hot water cylinder here.

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Is Your Hot Water Cylinder Leaking? Here are 7 Possible Causes

Leaks are never planned and when they happen, the timing is always bad!

This guide will help you identify where the leak may be coming from and what could have caused your hot water cylinder leak.

Whether you use Hot Water Cylinders NZ to do the repair or not, by asking the right questions and/or providing the right information, you will save hundreds if not thousands in repairs or replacement depending on system type and size.

Cause #1: Damage Caused by External Forces

External damage may cause a leak within the hot water system. If your hot water cylinder is relatively new (7 years or less) then the probability of a leak resulting from wear and tear is low.

Some questions you may want to ask yourself are:

  • Have any works taken place on my property? This includes any renovation works etc.
  • Have I repaired or replaced a plumbing fixture? This includes minor upgrades such as replacing a tap to larger upgrades such as replacing a shower. Often such upgrades can result in leaks to your hot water system. Our specialists will quickly be able to investigate through a process of elimination to determine the cause.
  • Has local Council done any upgrades? Watercare can often upgrade public watermains introducing more pressure onto a private property. This added pressure may spring a leak within the hot water system.
  • Is your hot water cupboard often used for storage or drying laundry? It may well be that pipework has been knocked resulting in a loose connection. If this is the case, please don’t attempt to repair this yourself. You may risk the pressure blowing the fitting off which will become very difficult to isolate and will cause flooding.

The good news is that most hot water cylinder leaks can be repaired, keeping your cost low. Time is often of the essence.  If you quickly identify or suspect one of the above external forces to be the likely cause, please let us know at time of booking.

Cause #2: Recent Electrical Repairs or Element Replacement

When the immersion element is damaged due to age, electrical failure or otherwise, an electrician or Limited Electrical License holder such as a plumber will need to replace the element and/or the thermostat.

When this occurs you need to be aware of several things:

  1. Your tank has been under pressure for a long time. This pressure has been consistent but when the element is replaced the tank will “decompress” which results in the movement of all components internally, including the welded seem. Often, cylinders that have had no issues prior to this decompression will start to leak once the cylinder undergoes repressurisation. This expansion and contraction is more than enough to crack a welded seam under certain circumstances.

    We always advise consumers to think carefully about an investment that could require a full replacement a few months later. Often it’s better to make this investment into a new hot water cylinder system than into a repair that represents a third of the total cost. View our “*Is Your Hot Water Cylinder Leaking?” section for more info.

  2. Once the element is replaced, if you find a leak in the vicinity of the element, then the element seals have not been installed properly or could be faulty. This information comes in handy if you recently had your element replaced and have spotted a leak.

  3. Always make sure that your contactor replaces the element with an equal wattage e.g 2kW should be replaced with 2kW and not the more common 3 kW. 3kW elements are cheaper to purchase and corners could be cut which may end up costing you more.  A higher kW rating means more load on your existing wiring and HWC which again due to age may fail.

Cause #3: Safety Valves May Be Operating

We have some great information about cold water expansion valves. Here are a couple of resources:

Cause #4: Vacuum Relief Valves or Open Vents may be Overflowing

If you possess a Low Pressure Hot Water Cylinder then your installation will either include a vacuum relief valve or an open vent.

Cause #5: Age of Your Hot Water Cylinder

If your hot water cylinder is ageing and has sprung a leak, our recommendation is that you save any money you intended to spend on an investigation or repair. Having completed over 5,000 installations to date, our records show that 2 out of 10 repaired hot water cylinders end up being replaced within 3 months of the repair. This of course will depend on the fault, cylinder & environment, but in most cases a plumbing company will charge a fee to investigate and/or attempt a repair if you’re agreeable. It’s best to make sure that you will not be charged before they despatch a technician.  

TAKE NOTE: To attempt to repair a cylinder of this age including replacement of the element may result in unintended additional damage. Element threads are often seized and too much force will crack the internal tank. Low pressure hot water cylinders are often made of copper which is a relatively soft material. It will not take much force to cause a leak.

Cause #6: Watercare & Council Watermain Upgrades

If road works are visible from your home, then there is a high chance your home is affected. Particularly if you notice a leak during or after these works are complete and you didn’t have the necessary protection in place such as a pressure reducing or limiting valve which regulates your incoming pressure.

An increase of pressure may result in:

  • Safety valves suddenly discharging water
  • Open vents overflowing
  • Burst hot water cylinders

To add to the strain, often debris will find its way into households causing other issues such as hot water fluctuation or blockages on valves such as toilet inlet vales and hot water system valves.  If you intend to install a pressure reducing valve, it is highly recommended you also install a strainer which will isolate any unintended debris from entering your home.

 

If you would like more information about Watercare compensation for watermain leaks and processes, please visit the following article: Watermain Leaking? Here is What You Can Do.

Cause #7: Dissimilar Metals & A Failed Sacrificial Anode

Every steel hot water cylinder contains a specialised Hot Water Cylinder Sacrificial Anode. Over time they break down so your hot water cylinder doesn’t. But what happens when are fully broken down? What will protect your hot water cylinder?

Whilst this is one of the causes a cylinder may leak, you may ask your, “well isn’t it a bit late once my cylinder is leaking?” You are absolutely right! This information won’t help if your cylinder is leaking but it will provide you with some knowledge around why it may be and what you can do to prevent it from happening again.

For other faults such as electrical faults or no hot water at all, please visit the following resources:

The above is a short list of causes that apply more than others. We also come across dozens of isolated causes which we have not included due to their rarity.

If you are unsure what may have caused a fault on your hot water cylinder, why not give us a quick call and speak to our highly qualified hot water cylinder specialists?

In many cases we can identify the fault over the phone at no cost to you. Alternatively, in 80% of all cases, we are able to identify the fault over the phone and immediately advise of repair and/or replacement costs. Hot Water Cylinders are New Zealand’s #1 hot water specialists and are ready to assist 24/7.

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Do I need a hot water cylinder tray?

Whether you are getting a new hot water cylinder installed or replacing an existing one, in New Zealand the building code NZBC G12 stipulates that a safe tray must only be installed if water damage can be caused to another household making it an optional item (not a legal requirement which can be declined) for single title New Zealand homes. In comparison, in Australia this is mandatory in all cases.

We fully agree that an installation of a safe tray (also called drip tray) is good practice and should be installed under every hot water cylinder for obvious reasons. The most common reason for these not being installed on most jobs is the rejection of additional cost. In many cases between $ 250 – $750 over and above the hot water cylinder installation because a dedicated 40 mm drain pipe from the supplied tray to an approved point if discharge needs to be installed. Whether this is convenient or even possible in many cases is another question all together.

Cylinder_tray

INSURANCE, DISPUTE & THE CONSUMERS GUARANTEES ACT

We from Hot Water Cylinders Ltd recommend that a cylinder tray is installed on every installation, to prevent damage to property and maintain safety. Of course this extra cost is a nuisance, especially when you are spending an additional several thousand dollars to replace your current leaking hot water cylinder!

According to NZBC you can decline the installation of a cylinder tray but please consider the following experience:

We have recently been involved in a case where a manufacturing fault has caused damage to property. In this instance the cylinder element seal was damaged and water leaked onto carpets and through the ceiling.  The home owner naturally sought compensation from the manufacturer but the manufacturer referred to their instruction manual which states the following:

Important
All cylinders have the potential to leak water. To minimise damage to other areas of your home, ensure that your cylinder has been installed with a drip tray—the person doing the installation is responsible for this.

Drip tray/catch pan (MUST be fitted)
The warranty does not cover any consequential loss from leaks to the cylinder, so it’s important a suitably drained drip tray/catch pan is fitted.

Consequential losses
All cylinders are required to be installed with a drip tray, this is a mandatory requirement of the installation. If damage is caused by a leaking cylinder that has not been installed with a drip tray the owner can seek compensation through the installer or consider claiming on insurance.

Does this in return put the responsibility with the installer or home owner insurance??

Depending on circumstances and negligence, here are two possible scenarios that could take place, most likely in court.

  1. The Consumer guarantees Act states “You cannot contract out of the Consumer Guarantees Act when you sell goods or services to a consumer.” This means..
    > exclude or try to limit your liability under the Act in fine print
    > tell consumers to contact a third party when they have chosen to seek a remedy from you. Contracting out of the Consumer Guarantees Act means having a written agreement (or clearly stating) that the goods or services you sell are not covered by the Act.This would mean that regardless, the liability in such a case remains with the manufacturer if damage was caused by a manufacturing fault.
  2. The New Zealand building code Clause 6.11.1 of G12/AS1 states “Water heaters shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions” Which in this case recommended the installation of a hot water cylinder tray.

I do have a personal opinion about the above which I wont share and will only say that these two points contradict considerably and would most likely end up in a court of law if no reasonable resolution is found.

In our experience above, thankfully the damage was minor and the manufacturer agreed to cover the costs of the damage despite the wording in the installation manual which in the end was a great outcome.

The moral of the story folks is that, the best means of protection is prevention! Especially if your cylinder is being installed in a location where a leak may potentially cause damage. Hot Water Cylinders Ltd offer the best price guarantee, so why not ask for an optional quote to include this minor extra which can save you lots of hassles in future.