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To prevent sediment
from building up in a geyser tank, open the drain valve. Drain water
into a bucket till it runs clear. Do this every 20 days if the water
is hard and every 40 days or so if the water is soft.
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If the tap water is
dirty or the heater noisy, flush out the tank. Turn off power to the
geyser. Shut the cold water valve and open the hot water faucet.
Attach a hose to the drain valve to direct the water out. Open the
drain valve. When the tank is empty, open and close the cold-water
valve until the water runs clear.
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If a faulty
thermostat lets tank water overheat, a relief valve prevents an
explosion by venting out hot water. Test the valve every winter.
Place a bucket under the discharge pipe. Lift the valve handle. If
the valve doesn’t release hot water, have it replaced.
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If a geyser doesn’t
heat and there’s no tripped circuitor blown fuse, turn off power
to the heater. Unscrew the access panel. Push the reset button on
high temperature cut-off, then restore power. If the water is still
no heated, have the thermostats and heating elements tested, and if
need be, replaced. Optimum use It is not only essential to maintain
your geyser in good condition but also to regulate and optimise its
use so that it doesn’t lead to unnecessary power costs. Some
simple precautions and tips can prevent your geyser from landing you
with astronomical power bills:
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Install aerators in
faucets and low-flow shower heads that may reduce your hot water
consumption by half.
-
Repair leaky
faucets and shower heads. A leak of one drip per second can add to
your costs.
-
Insulate your hot
water storage tank and pipes, but be careful not to cover the tank
thermostat(s).
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Lower the
thermostat (s) on your water heater to 115-120°F. Electric water
heaters often have two thermostats, one each for the upper and lower
heating elements. These should be adjusted to the same level to
prevent one element from doing all the work and wearing out
prematurely.
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For electric water
heaters, install a timer that can automatically turn the hot water
off at night and on in the morning. A simple timer can pay for
itself in less than a year.
-
Install a heat trap
above the water heater. A heat trap is a simple check valve or
piping arrangement that prevents "thermosyphoning", the
tendency of hot water to rise up from the tank into the pipes,
thereby lowering standby losses.
-
Take more showers
than baths. Baths use the most hot water in an average household.
You use 15 to 25 gallons of hot water for a bath and less than 10
gallons for a 5 minute shower!
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Install a flap
valve to prevent hot water from flowing back into the pipes. A
pop-off valve can also be added by safety.
-
Turn off the
electricity to the water heater at the main fuse box if you will be
gone for three days or more.
-
When washing dishes
in the sink, fill the sink and plug it instead of letting the water
run constantly.
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Use less hot water.
Wash clothes with cold water. Cold water detergents can be used for
much, if not all, of your laundry. If you must wash clothes in warm
or hot water, rinse them in cold water.
-
Use presoak cycle
for heavily soiled loads to avoid two washings.
-
Although most water
heaters last 10 to 15 years, it’s best to start shopping for a new
one if yours is more than seven years old. Otherwise, you will be
adding to your power consumption.
DID
you know that unlike the sleek designer geysers available today,
geysers in olden days were primitive-looking and were wood or coal
fired ? Several are still in use in tea plantations. The old geysers
were large copper drums or cast iron drums that use coiled water pipes
inside and were fired like a stove in an independent unit in the
outhouse or the kitchen. In some cases the coiled water heating pipe
ran inside the coal / firewood cooking range which did a dual job.
With no thermostat control water remained piping hot in such geysers.
The modern-day geysers are, however, aesthetically designed,
technically upgraded and easy-to-use appliances and broadly comprise
two types: