Certain water heaters manufactured by State and other major water heater manufacturers between August 1993 and March 1997 contained potentially defective dip tubes that were manufactured by Perfection Corporation of Madison, Ohio.
A dip tube is a plastic tube that runs from the cold water inlet at the top of the water heater through the inside of the tank and delivers cold water to the area in the water heater where it can be heated. The dip tubes in the affected water heaters were potentially defective because of problems associated with the polypropylene formula and processes employed by Perfection in manufacturing the dip tubes. The defect caused dip tubes to fail prematurely by disintegrating inside the water heater. Symptoms of failure include the loss of hot water, decreased water pressure, and the presence of dip tube particles in hot water lines as well as places where dip tube particles could be trapped, such as faucet and showerhead aerators and dishwasher and washing machine filters.
A very simple dip tube test can be done to determine if your dip tube is intact. This test applies to top plumbed tank type water heaters:
· Shut the circulation pump off (if applicable)
· Turn the heater control to pilot position(or turn the power off to an electric heater)
· Run approximately three to five minutes of hot water from the nearest hot water faucet
· Place a small bucket under the drain valve of the water heater
· At the end of the three to five minutes of water running shut the hot water faucet off
· Drain about a gallon of water from the drain valve of the water heater.
· The water temperature should be cool
· If the water is hot you may have a dip tube failure.
If you have a dip tube failure this procedure is intended for use by licensed plumbing professionals, and reference should be made to the instruction manual accompanying the product. This applies to tank type top plumbed heaters only.
· Shut off gas or electricity and water to unit.
· Completely drain unit. Home owner may assist by doing this prior to arrival of the plumbing professional.
· Disconnect piping at cold water inlet to access dip tube.
· CAREFULLY remove remaining dip tube (to prevent further damage to tube). Additional parts may fall into the water heater creating more labor if dip tube is mishandled.
· Loosely reconnect cold water supply pipe without dip-tube.
· Remove drain valve.
· Use flashlight to check for larger pieces and remove them.
· Connect 3/4” nipple with hose adapter into the drain spud.
· Connect garden hose to adapter and run into a floor drain.
· Repeatedly flush unit by opening cold water supply at shut off and allow water to "shower" tank bottom for approximately 5-6 gallons. Allow unit to drain off each time.
· REMOVE 3/4” nipple from the drain spud; again check for large pieces and remove.
· REMOVE temperature and pressure relief valve and check for larger pieces and remove.
· Set up wet vacuum appliance (shop vacuum).
· Secure or hold vacuum hose to drain spud.
· Turn on the vacuum and the cold water supply.
· Allow water to fill above drain spud while running the vacuum.
· Shut off supply water.
· Continue to vacuum until unit is completely drained.
· Repeat as necessary.
· Look through drain spud to ensure no additional pieces of dip tube are floating in the tank. Remove pieces. If debris of dip tube is visible at this point, use 1/2" copper tubing with 90 degree extension adapted to the shop vacuum hose and collect additional debris with vacuum.
· Install replacement dip tube.
· Reconnect cold water supply pipe.
· Reinstall drain valve.
· Refill and re-light or re-energize unit.
· REMOVE AND CLEAN faucet screens, shower heads, hot water supply filter to clothes washer and dishwasher, etc.
· Flush water until all dip tube pieces have been flushed from the plumbing fixtures.
Added Information : Clean and flush your shop vacuum (remember if shop vacuum needs to be lifted, consider the weight of the water, 8 1/2 pounds per gallon).