480-volt Rheem replaced with A.O. Smith DEN-52 at Montclair medical building

The call: A medical building in Montclair had no hot water.

The equipment: A 480-volt three-phase Rheem electric water heater.

What we found: Our technician’s electrical diagnosis found failed thermostats and heating elements, and the tank itself was leaking. A leaking tank can’t be repaired, so the heater had to be replaced.

What we did: We installed a new A.O. Smith DEN-52, a 50-gallon commercial electric water heater, and replaced all of the piping, the valves, the check valves and the expansion tank. Before installing the new expansion tank, we set its air charge to match the building’s water pressure. It’s a step many installers skip, and without it the tank can’t do its job of protecting the system from pressure spikes. The building got a completely new installation, not a new heater on old parts.

The result: Hot water back for the medical building, with every part of the system new.

Tip for facility managers: Rust or water around the base of a water heater usually means the tank is failing. Call before it leaks into the rest of the building.