Designing Heating and Cooling Systems in Large Buildings
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Designing Heating and Cooling Systems in Large Buildings

Have you ever wondered what goes into a heating or air conditioning system for a large office building or another large building like a mall or a school? My name is Evelyn, and I am an HVAC architect. I design heating and air conditioning systems for large, corporate buildings. Making sure that a large building with many rooms or offices is efficiently heated and cooled is a very large job and is much more complicated than simply heating or cooling a home. This blog will educate the reader on how heating and cooling jobs this large are designed and completed.

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Designing Heating and Cooling Systems in Large Buildings

How To Replace The Upper Heating Element On An Electric Water Heater That Stopped Heating

Nicole Jacobs

Has your electric water heater suddenly stopped heating water efficiently? The problem might be the upper heating element, which ensures that the newly incoming water that replaces tank loses gets heated as it arrives. Replacing the upper heating element requires a bit of time but isn't difficult even if you have no water heater experience. If you feel overwhelmed during the process, abort the repair and call a water heater repair service.

What You Need:

  • Screwdrivers
  • Electrical tape
  • Digital camera
  • Socket
  • New heating element

Step 1: Prep the Water Heater

Turn off the electricity to the water heater at the breaker box. Locate the water shut-off valve attached to the inlet pipe on the heater and turn into the off position to cut the water supply.

Twist one end of a garden hose to the grooved drain valve near the bottom of your water heater. Drape the loose end of the hose over a drain or into a nearby sink. Use a flathead screwdriver to open the drain valve. Allow approximately half of the water to drain out of the tank; you don't need to precisely measure the amount drained, but try to achieve about half.

Close the valve by twisting shut with the screwdriver. Remove the hose once you close the drain.

Step 2: Access the Heating Element

Locate the access panel cover over the upper heating element. The cover should look like a long rectangle with mounting screws near the top of the unit's outer wall. Remove those mounting screws and pull off the panel door. Set the fastener and door aside.

Lift the door of foam now covering the element. You can use electrical tape to adhere the foam to the outer wall of the tank to keep the foam out of your way for right now. Don't remove or damage the foam.

You will now see a plastic cover over the element. Locate the tab at the top of the cover and slip your screwdriver into the tab and pull up to unhook. Lift out the plastic cover and set it aside with the panel door.

Step 3: Remove the Old Element and Install the New

Use your phone or handheld digital camera to take a picture of the wires attached to the heating element so you remember the correct orientation. Loosen but don't remove the screws that attach each wire to the element. Once loosened, you can just slide the wires out of place and let them hang until you install the new element.

Use a socket to twist the old element out of its threads. Pull out on the element to fully remove it.

Slide the new element into place, twisting with the socket as necessary until secure. Attach the wires to the screws on the elements then tighten the screws. Return the plastic covering, remove the tape to let the foam drop back into place, and then reinstall the access panel door and its fastener.

Restore power and water to the water heater.


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