Of the roughly 112 elements on the Periodic Chart of Elements one that you are unlikely to see is a heating element for an electric hot water tank. But if you wake up to a cold shower one morning, it may become the most important element of your day. As evidenced by the adjoining photo, even an electric hot water tank has a weak link. Under a slow daily attack by harsh water conditions, the protective insulator around the heating element will deteriorate. While the elements are replaceable the cost effectiveness is often a poor choice when the tank is beyond seven years old. Simply put, you do not buy a new set of tires for a car that’s on its way to the junk yard.
