Fast...Reliable Hot Water Heater Service

(by professional, qualified technicians)

​Why Can't I Light My Pilot

Due to new government regulations late model water heaters have sealed combustion chambers and are required to have additional safety devices to shut off the gas valve due to incomplete combustion. Water heater energy cut off (E.C.O.) is designed to shut the gas valve off due to incomplete combustion of the gas or due to insufficient combustion air, which is drawn into the combustion chamber via air intakes, which depending on the make/model will be located on the bottom or bottom side of the hot water tank. They may appear as louvers or slots encircling the bottom of the water heater or if the hot water tank has legs it may be a screen beneath the tank.

It is imperative to keep these intakes free and clear of lint, dust and debris to maintain proper combustion.

Some but not all E.C.O. switches can be reset. They should only be reset after the hazardous situation is rectified. Always follow manufactures recommendations for re-lighting your hot water tank.

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Flammable Vapour Ignition Resistor (F.V.I.R.)

The F.V.I.R. is another safety switch that shuts down the gas valve due to a hazardous situation. It senses flammable vapours being drawn into the combustion chamber and automatically shuts down the gas, which could prevent and explosion. These are very sensitive and most can be reset after the hazardous situation is rectified. Kitty litter boxes have been known to activate these safety devices.

Thermal Release Device (T.R.D.)

A small vial or glass bubble filled with a specific fluid that when heated to a certain temperature expands and causes the vial to break.

This T.R.D. is inserted between a spring and a damper in the combustion chamber. The T.R.D. overcomes the mechanical advantages of the spring-loaded damper keeping the damper open and allowing combustion air into the combustion chamber for normal operation. If a hazardous condition occurs in the combustion chamber (overheating) the vial breaks and the spring-loaded damper snaps shut preventing combustion air into the combustion chamber. No Air, no fire. In my view a very poor design! The entire burner assembly needs to be removed in order to replace the T.R.D. Some manufactures actually recommend replacing the water heater.

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​Pilot light keeps going out

Gas Water Heaters require either a thermocouple or a thermopile, which is a series of thermocouples encased in a single sheath, to open a solenoid in the gas valve when a demand for heat is recognized. If the thermocouple/pile fails, the gas valve cannot open.

The Thermocouple when heated by the pilot flame produces a millivoltage usually up to 30 millivolts. This is what powers your gas valve.

The Thermopile produces usually up to 750 m/v and is now most commonly used. This extra voltage is required, to operate a safety switch in conjunction with the gas valve either an Eco (energy cut off) or an Fvir (Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistor).

Both Thermocouples and Thermopiles can be replaced without replacing your Calgary water heater.

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​Insufficient Hot Water

Some gas valves have a single use E.C.O. Fuse built into the temperature probe. An unsafe water temperature will activate the fuse able link, which will shut off the gas. In this case the gas valve would need to be replaced.

insufficient hot water or hot water runs out quickly, other than the most obvious cause - the temperature setting, could be the dip tube. The dip tube is located on the inlet or cold side of the hot water tank. When you open a hot water faucet the hot water being used is replenished by cold water, which enters the water heater and is directed to the lower portion of the tank by way of a dip tube. This prevents the cold water from mixing with the hot water already in the tank. The result of the mixing creates lukewarm water at your faucet. Quite often the dip tube will deteriorate and break off within the tank. The point at which it breaks off will determine how much hot water your water heater will produce at the faucet.

You will usually find evidence of the broken down dip tube caught in the aerator screen located on the end of your basin or kitchen faucet. Some gas valves have a single use E.C.O. Fuse built into the temperature probe. An unsafe water temperature will activate the fuse able link, which will shut off the gas. In this case the gas valve would need to be replaced.

insufficient hot water or hot water runs out quickly, other than the most obvious cause - the temperature setting, could be the dip tube. The dip tube is located on the inlet or cold side of the hot water tank. When you open a hot water faucet the hot water being used is replenished by cold water, which enters the water heater and is directed to the lower portion of the tank by way of a dip tube. This prevents the cold water from mixing with the hot water already in the tank. The result of the mixing creates lukewarm water at your faucet. Quite often the dip tube will deteriorate and break off within the tank. The point at which it breaks off will determine how much hot water your water heater will produce at the faucet.

You will usually find evidence of the broken down dip tube caught in the aerator screen located on the end of your basin or kitchen faucet.

​Determining a water heater's age and warranty.

How to read the Age Code...

When each water heater is built the manufacturer assigns a special serial number to the unit. This number is a code that tells its age and can be useful in determining warranty status.

The following list shows you how to read the age code for some of the most common manufacturers.

For AO Smith Water Heaters, including the brands National, Glascote, and Perma-Glas, the first 2 numbers in the serial number indicate the year of manufacture, and the second 2 numbers indicate the month of manufacture.

Example: Serial No. BG99-0813397-210 would have been built in year 99 (1999) in month 08 (August).

To verify if your water heater is under warranty, you can call 1-800-447-6575

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American Water Heaters also include the brand names Super-Flo and Whirlpool.

To decode this serial number, look at the first 4 digits of the serial number. The first 2 digits indicate the year of manufacture, and the second 2 digits indicate the week of manufacture.

Example: Serial No. 9906xxx would have been made in the 6th week of the year 1999.

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Bradford White manufactured water heaters also includes the brand name JetGlas.

Bradford White uses a 20-year letter designation rotation in serial numbers. Water heaters manufactured 20 years apart will have the same serial number or “letter year” designation

(i.e. A = 2004 and 1984).

​YEAR OF MANUFACTURE(first letter of serial number) A = 2004B = 2005C = 2006D = 2007E = 2008F = 2009G = 2010H = 2011J = 1992K = 1993L = 1994M = 1995N = 1996P = 1997S = 1998T = 1999W = 2000X = 2001Y = 2002Z = 2003  MONTH OF MANUFACTURE(second letter of serial number)  A= JanuaryB= FebruaryC= MarchD= AprilE= MayF= JuneG= JulyH= AugustJ= SeptemberK= OctoberL= NovemberM= December

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General Electric water heater serial numbers are decoded in the same way as Rheem(see below) serial numbers. (The first 2 digits indicate month of manufacture, and the second 2 digits indicate year of manufacture.)

To verify if your water heater is under warranty, you can call 1-800-626-2005

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GSW manufactured water heaters include the brand names Moffat, Superflue, and Medal.

See rating label serial number prefix for Warranty Code. Reduced warranty period applies to Newfoundland.

Warranty Code: P  R  S  T  U  V  W   Y

Standard Warranty Years:  3  5  6  7  8  9  10  12

Reduced Warranty Years:  3  3  3  5  5  5   5   7

 >Serial numbers

prior to 2004 read:

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>Serial numbers

2004 to 2007 read:

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 >Serial numbers

2008 and later read: (New format)

*No longer a reduced warranty for New Foundland

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​Low Hot Water Pressure

Low hot water pressure could be caused by a broken dip tube, which has broken down in the water heater, and small pieces are finding their way into your faucet cartridges or plugging the aerator at the end of your faucet spout.

Another common cause is a calcium build up within the hot water tank. The calcium also infiltrates cartridges and aerators.

More common yet is a calcium buildup on both the inlet and more probably on the outlet within the tank. This reduces the volume of water supplied to your faucet.

The symptoms of this are normal pressure to begin with but it quickly dwindles.

​Discoloured Water

Rural dwellers on well systems are all too familiar with discoloured water mainly caused by a high iron content, but people living in the city or suburbs have treated water at their disposal and the cause of their discoloured water lies within their hot water tank.

An is an internal part of your hot water tank heater, its only function is to act as a sacrificial lamb. It provides a place for impurities to attack rather than causing your tank to rust.

Most water heaters are glass lined which forms a protective coating between the water and the meal of the water heater. If the lining has cracked or broken water will begin rusting your tank causing the water to discolour.

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