Brand new water heater corrosion

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wallis

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Hello everyone - thanks in advance for any help/suggestions/advice. I don't know a lot about water heaters but am slowly learning as I go.

About three weeks ago, I had a brand new Whirlpool 40 gal electric water heater installed. About a week later, I noticed brown rust colored water coming out of the hot water faucets when I turned on the water first thing in the morning after the heater had sat unused overnight about 8 hours. If I went out of town for a few days and the heater was sitting unused for a longer time, then the rust colored hot water would be a darker brown color.

The rust colored hot water flows for less than five seconds when the hot water first makes it to the faucet. The water then becomes clear after a few seconds. I first noticed this about a week after installation and this has continued happening for the last couple of weeks.

This happens in all the hot water faucets in the house. I opened the T&P valve and this also discharged rusty water for a couple of seconds before the water became clear.

There is no problem with the cold water. My previous water heater did not have this problem. I have city water supply, no softener, set to 120 degrees.

I read that corrosion can occur at the hot water outlet if a dielectric union is not used with copper pipes, but my condo has CPVC pipes so I'm thinking that should not be an issue for me? Also not sure where rusty water coming out the T&P valve fits into the equation.

Would corrosion inside the heater tank body occur this quickly (in a week or less) - isn't the anode rod supposed to reduce this, at least at first? Maybe a short or stray current in the new water heater is causing corrosion this quickly?

So, not sure what to do or who to call next. Maybe call the handyman who installed the heater and have him check the connections for corrosion even though I do not have copper pipes? Maybe call Whirlpool and see if they will replace the heater and hope that this heater was the problem and the new one will work properly?
 

DonL

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Being that new.

I would make sure it is coming from the tank, Just so you are not barking up the wrong tree.

It sounds like it may have missed the Glass Lining process, or the tank was damaged.

Are you on a Private Well ?


Good Luck.
 

wallis

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Attached a couple of pictures in case that helps. This is from the city water supply. Can a new tank corrode in a week (or even less since I might have only noticed the problem after a week).

IMG_20140417_134434953_HDR (Small).jpgIMG_20140417_134622154_HDR (Small).jpg
 

Jerome2877

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Is the expansion tank new and is it for potable water? Also it looks like the t for it is galvanized, this may be the problem. Plumbers should install water heaters, not handy men.
 

wallis

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The expansion tank is about 6 years old - was used on the previous water heater. Handyman looked at it when installing the new heater and felt that it did not need to be replaced.

It was used with the old heater without any issues - not sure why it would start causing problems a week after it was placed on the new heater but could have it taken off and look at the connections.

Not sure if it is for potable water - was bought at Lowe's.
 

Reach4

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I read that corrosion can occur at the hot water outlet if a dielectric union is not used with copper pipes, but my condo has CPVC pipes so I'm thinking that should not be an issue for me? Also not sure where rusty water coming out the T&P valve fits into the equation.

Would corrosion inside the heater tank body occur this quickly (in a week or less) - isn't the anode rod supposed to reduce this, at least at first? Maybe a short or stray current in the new water heater is causing corrosion this quickly?

So, not sure what to do or who to call next. Maybe call the handyman who installed the heater and have him check the connections for corrosion even though I do not have copper pipes? Maybe call Whirlpool and see if they will replace the heater and hope that this heater was the problem and the new one will work properly?
If the problem were the heater, the orange would not disappear after 5 seconds.

Get a magnet and see if there are any steel pipes used in the install.
 

hj

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The tee, and maybe the pipe attaching it to the tank, is the most likely problem since the rust has to coming in to the water heater if it comes out of the T&P valve.
 

wallis

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Yes, the rusty water came out of the T&P valve and also out of the house hot water faucets - water is rusty only for a few seconds just when the water out the faucet first is hot. The hot water becomes clear after that.

I can have the expansion tank tee and pipe checked - this same tee and pipe was used for 5 years in my old heater with no issues but maybe changing to new heater affected it somehow?
 

wallis

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Got a magnet and checked the tee and the pipe attaching it to the tank - both were attracted to the magnet.

Also drained some water from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank - this water was clear.

So the rusty water is only coming from the T&P valve and the house hot water faucets.

Will have the T and pipe attaching it to tank checked for corrosion. Really hoping that's the problem.
 

wallis

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Problem solved - the T for the expansion tank was rusty. Replaced it and no more rusty water. Thanks for everyone who helped.
 

Reach4

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Good deal. I presume the new tee is brass.
 
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