12 unit building. I have a 75 gal water heater. It drips water on the burners…not too much but it drips …and I am not sure it is normal. Damper shuts off at times. I need to gently touch the black box attached on the side of the damper to “wake it up”..then it opens. Do you think that water on the burners “is normal” ? maybe it has something to do with damper closing down ? the heater is maybe 10 months old --24.13.xxx.xxx

If if is only 10 months old it probably is under warranty. You could check with the warranty and get info about whether this is normal and OK or whether someone from the warranty co needs to come and take a look. --136.34.xxx.xxx

Not sure what you mean. Gas? You have a water heater with more than one burner? Even on a gas unit, burner is usually difficult to see. Explain please. --99.92.xxx.xxx

What happens when the consumable rod is consumed then the glass lining on the tank starts to rust thorough where the hot water tank has to be replaced. If the building has forced hot water boilers then it is better to install a indirect hot water which is stainless steel then is going to outlast the disposable direct fired hot water tanks. While more expensive upfront but more efficient as the stand by loss is less the one degree per hour where a direct fired tank will lose 7 to 12 degrees per hour up the chimney when no hot is being used. Take a flashlight then see if the tank is leaking. --64.228.xx.xx

That should still be under warranty so call the company that installed it and make them come out and fix it. --76.178.xx.xx

BRAD --73.102.xxx.xxx

Try to contact manufacturer where check all fittings for leaks. In most apartment buildings the demand for hot water is in the morning then in the evening from 4 pm to 7 pm where people have showers or baths. A direct fired hot water tank will be working at maximum capacity depending on BTU output. As long as there significant amount of water then the tank maybe working within specifications. If want a long life then after two years inspect then if anode rod is worn replace. Once the anode is consumed then the glass lining of the hot water wears where the hot water tank rusts through. Most commercial hot water tanks have a access clean out where should be removed then inspect with the gas off to remove any sediment as sediment acts as insulator where heat transfer is less then then more natural gas consumption. For efficiency, hot water output and life expectancy a indirect hot water tank is a better option as the boilers are used where the immersion coil transfer heat at lower temperature which means less scale. Boilers have greater heat output then a direct fired hot water tank which means more hot water. In the mean time it is best to get the maximum life out of the existing tank. --147.194.xxx.xx

That’s the beast I have BRADFORD WHITE D-80T-199-3N 199,999 BTU/Hour Commercial Gas Water Heater. If you google it you will see 5 burners at the bottom. Water drips, hissing. Could be condensation but the damper shut off twice on me. Not sure why I need damper anyways. Good point on fittings. I did not spot any leaks though --24.13.xxx.xxx

Ok so that explains the 5 burners and non-sealed combustion chamber...it's a commercial unit. Thanks for clarifying. Keep us posted on final resolution. --99.92.xxx.xxx

The vent damper prevents heat from going up chimney when the water heater is not firing where the efficiency of the water heater is improved. Most newer cast iron gas boilers have intermittent pilot ignition along with vent damper that improves efficiency. In the boiler room it is possible to improve efficiency by installing pipe insulation on all the heating and hot water pipes which is a inexpensive upgrade where over time will get the money back. Soon the only water heaters sold will be the high efficiency type which extract heat from a secondary heat exchanger like a high efficiency boiler or furnace where the temperature of the exhaust gas is lower where can power vented directly through the wall. Boiler rooms are always warm where if installed a water heater that extract heats from surrounding air would work well where the hot water would be heated before going into the gas fired hot water tank. Bradford White water heaters gas fired and indirect are better quality then what is sold at the big box stores where here the water heater rental companies buy the cheapest water heaters, furnaces out there. With copper finned baseboards efficiency can be improved by cleaning out fins with a air compressor then installing reflective tape on top of fins where more heat will go into a room at a lower temperature where the overall temperature of the heating system will be lower as well. --147.194.xxx.xx