Hot water—especially in the cold winter months—is essential to keeping your business up and running. When the weather gets chilly, what do you need to know to ensure your commercial hot water heater(s) are adequately winterized and up for the task?
The needs of your particular commercial water heater setup will vary based on factors like location (basements, uninsulated utility rooms), use, and the components in your setup.
Common Winter Water Heater Maintenance Issues
If you want to prevent water heater emergencies for tenants and customers, keeping up with water heater maintenance is the key to longevity. While you may not need to winterize most modern commercial water heaters, you should still take the following winter precautions:
Checking for Blocked Intake and Exhaust
You must ensure the air intake and exhaust vents are clear of all debris, especially for high-efficiency units (HE). Water heaters require fresh oxygen to fire up and burn efficiently, but if the intake is blocked, the water heater will eventually stop working. Clogged air pipes can also seriously damage the water heater and its components if not treated promptly.
On the other end, if your exhaust vent is blocked, the heat build-up could damage your water heater and lead to carbon monoxide (CO) backup. Not only is this a huge risk for you and anyone occupying the property, but it also puts you at risk for personal injury and liability issues.
So, here are some essential things to look out for:
- Snow is the most common problem. Snow can easily block or be drawn into your water heater’s air intake pipe in winter.
- Another (extremely unpleasant) problem is small animals. Small critters like birds and mice might crawl into your exhaust piping because it seems warm and cozy. Sometimes, this means you end up with a dead animal in your piping. We won’t go into detail, but take our word for it: this is a messy problem you’d be better off not experiencing firsthand!
Now, you may think, “Hey, my water heater is running fine, so what’s the problem?”
Well, checking on your intake and exhaust vents is still worth it! The reality is that even if your air intake and exhaust vent are partially blocked, it could mean your commercial water heater isn’t working at peak efficiency. If that’s the case, all that money you thought you were saving in energy costs is going out the window. Wasted energy means wasted money, plain and simple!
Clearing the Air Intake and Exhaust Vents
Fortunately, there are many ways you can prevent your air intake lines and exhaust vents from getting plugged with debris and damaging your water heater.
- If possible, install the intake line and the exhaust vent on the exterior walls of your building that get the most sun exposure. All that snow will melt faster around your piping, lowering the risk of snow blockage.
- If the area near your exhaust and intake is prone to drifts, put up a snow fence to protect the area from excess snow.
- When running the intake or exhaust piping out of the rooftop, be sure a U-shaped pipe is installed at the end of that intake/exhaust vent, as it prevents rain, snow, and other debris from running straight down the pipe, potentially causing blockage.
- Install stainless steel mesh screens on the intake and exhaust to prevent small animals and debris from entering your water heater piping.
Should I Winterize My Commercial Water Heater?
What about official “winterization” of your commercial water heater? Do you need to go through a special winterization process?
The short answer to this question is—it depends. Fortunately, if you’re leasing a commercial water heater from Reliable Water Services (whether it’s an electric water heater, a gas heater, or a tankless heater system), we’ll answer your questions and help make sure you’re ready for chilly weather. It’s important to note that these days, many water heaters with advanced technology have freeze protection features built-in, so winterizing isn’t usually a requirement.
In most cases, we don’t recommend the full winterization process unless a building will be vacant over the winter or the commercial water heater isn’t in use. In regular commercial use, water heaters typically won’t freeze as long as they’re still running.
Should your business be seasonal, or you plan to close down for a while in the winter, we can help prep your commercial water heating equipment for what we call “vacation mode.” This enables you to run your water heater at the lowest temperature possible to prevent freezing, so you’re protected but still saving money on utilities when not in use.
It’s also important to note that winterizing your water heater isn’t the same as winterizing your pipes. If you have a building with units that aren’t in use, you may still need to take precautions to insulate the pipes and prevent the dreaded burst pipe mess that can accompany frigid temperatures. Burst pips can be a big problem that can wreak havoc on your plumbing and damage your units—so it’s crucial that you make sure your pipes are well protected (you may need to consult with a plumbing professional).
As far as avoiding hot water downtime, your water heater likely has built-in protections. Assuming it’s been properly installed (by professionals like Reliable Water Services), it is likely in an area that’s protected. If it’s in use regularly during winter months, you don’t need to go through a winterizing process for your hot water heater.
When is Winterization Used?
Water heater winterization usually refers to routine maintenance for residential water heaters. The process isn’t necessary for commercial operations and businesses open during the colder months. If you have a commercial operation with one or multiple water heaters, here’s when you may need to winterize:
- Seasonal restaurants or businesses closed and vacant during the winter months.
- Water heaters located in rental properties that are vacant going into and during the winter months.
- Rental properties that include single-family homes, duplexes, or apartment buildings with only a few occupied units.
- Businesses with older water heater setups located in uninsulated portions of the building, like basements, boiler rooms, or garages.
- Businesses with exposed and uninsulated plumbing susceptible to frozen pipes (rare in modern building codes).
In other words, if your water heater(s) have been installed in areas protected from the elements and freezing temperatures and are regularly in use during the winter months, you don’t need to go through the winterizing process.
A word to the wise, however. It is always essential to keep up with routine maintenance with a trained technician to make sure your water heaters are prepared and in good working order ahead of any cold weather or unusual circumstances.
How to Winterize a Commercial Water Heater
The short answer is that if you have a commercial water heater you think you may need to winterize, contact a professional water heater technician to confirm. Unlike residential water heater maintenance, adding winterization to your winter maintenance schedule is rarely necessary, but your commercial heating expert will guide you.
What does the water heater winterizing process look like? Again, it will depend on the make, model, and specific circumstances, but the following steps are what your licensed technicians will typically follow when they winterize your commercial water heater, should it become necessary. Remember that when it comes to winterizing commercial water heaters, it’s a job for a licensed plumbing professional—not a DIY process. Errors in this process can cause a variety of unforeseen complications throughout the building.
Step One: Shut Off the Heating Source
The first step of the winterizing process is to turn off the power and/or heat source. Your technician will do this by identifying and turning off the main heating source or power supply to your commercial hot water tank, which will vary depending on your system type (generally):
- Gas: This will typically be a 2-step process. The first step is to unplug the unit from the wall, cutting off the electric supply to the ignitor and control panel (yes, most gas water heater models today also still require some electricity!). The next step is to turn off the primary gas supply by locating the main gas shut-off valve and turning it perpendicular to the gas line to shut it off.
- Electric: Toggle the on/off switch on the control panel to shut off the electricity. It’s also a good idea to unplug the unit entirely at this time as an extra precaution.
- Tankless: Turn off the power at the circuit breaker and the control panel.
Step Two: Close the Incoming Water Valve
Next, the technician will twist the incoming water valve to close it. This location will vary depending on the property type (for example, a restaurant is likely to have one central water shut-off location, whereas an apartment complex might have multiple locations). This step prevents water from coming into the water heater while it’s not in use.
Step Three: Drain the Water Heater
The water in your tank can’t freeze if there’s no water in there to begin with! In circumstances where the water heater won’t be used for a longer period during the winter, your technician will:
- Locate the drain valve on the bottom of the tank.
- Attach a hose to the notch near the drain and allow the water to drain into a bucket or floor drainage system. Drain the hose outside if your water heater is located near an exterior exit.
- Turn the handle on the drain valve and allow the residual water to drain. This process could take up to an hour if there’s a lot of water in the tank.
Step Four: Open the Faucets
As the technician lets the remaining water drain from the tank, they may then go through the property and open all the faucets—cold and hot. There should only be a little bit of water that comes out. This step ensures no excess water in the pipes could freeze in cold temperatures.
Step Five: Insulate the Water Heater Tank and Pipes
In situations where the water heater will be unused during most of the wintertime, your technician may also suggest that you insulate the water heater with a water heater blanket. These are more commonly used in residential water heating situations, but in rare circumstances, they may be necessary in a commercial setting.
You may also need to repeat the process with all water pipes to protect them. Depending on the situation, your plumber may suggest using foam insulation around exposed pipes and cold-water supply lines for extra protection.
Call in the Experts at Reliable Water Services
As you can see, winterizing a commercial water heater is rarely required, but when it is, it’s a job for a professional. In the meantime, make sure your water heater is prepped for winter by clearing the exhaust and intake (and keeping them safe from snow and unwanted “visitors.”)
Do you still have questions about protecting your commercial water heaters this winter? The professional experts here at Reliable Water Services know when and how to winterize a water heater and can help you get it done quickly and correctly! Our team is available 24/7 to ensure you get timely service whenever you need it most. Click here to get your quote today!
