What I Learned about Water Heaters Today

[Jodi1980]

That you need to drain them about once a year!

 

[Serena]

Really? Why's that?

 

[Jodi1980]

Draining and Flushing the Tank.

Open the drain valve at the bottom about every 6 months, letting the water run into a bucket until it looks clear (usually about 5 gallons). This will prevent sediment accumulation. If there are bits of metal or rust in the water, have the anode replaced.
Annually test the temperature-pressure buildup by lifting or depressing the pressure release (TPR) valve's handle and draining water from the overflow pipe. If water doesn't drain out, shut off water to the heater, open a hot water faucet somewhere in the house, and replace the valve.

I guess it will also add to the life of the heater. I was told to hook a water hose to the heater and drain all the water out since we don't have a drain near it.

 

[Carl]

I know they advise you to do those things, but if you do, be prepared to spend some money. If you attempt to open the emergency valve, 9 times out of 10 it will not close again. So, also be prepared to clean up the water and shut off the valve immediately. I had a whole garage flooded by an inspector who pulled the emergency valve and walked off leaving the water spraying all over the garage.

 

[Pop Daddy]

Id rather by a new one then do that junk

 

[Disney-Kim]

Our house just flooded after Thanksgiving due to a broken hot water heater. We have since learned that draining it twice a year would have helped. We have really high sediment in our water here.
draining is beneficial if you have really hard water and sediment your water. it builds up on the elements and corodes them. and...most importantly it builds up at the bottom of the tank and prevents you from draining it.
just good maintenance....although I would not mess with the emergency release valve.

 

[Micca]

We have lived in our house for almost 19 years and just bought our second water heater. No one ever mentioned draining the thing. When our heater started acting up a couple of weeks ago, our plumber told us it's not worth repairing a water heater as they will almost certainly develop some other problem.

 

[CindyKansas]

Micca--That's exactly what our plumber told us.

 

[mudnuri]

We rent our water heater from our Power Company for under $6.00 per month. Every spring, a plumber calls us to set up an appointment to drain our water heater. Never knew why. He comes and is gone in 1/2 hour.

Also I cant stress enough how great it is to rent it. We're on our 2nd water heater, lived here for 11 years. 1st one bottom rotted out or somehow sprang a leak, called them in the middle of the night, within a few hours we had a new water heater, and no mess left in our basement, they shop vac'd it up, and the best part was NO BILL!

Our lower element went a few months back, we would run out of hot water after 3 showers, (2 are short, they're DD's), and I called, next day they came replaced it, and again, no bill and enough hot water for 10 showers now LOL

Brandy