Water Heater Maintenance

[GChief]

 

[GChief]

Just draining them probably doesn't get all the sediment out, what I do is pressurize the system with an air compressor, the air going down the dip tube riles up the sediment and i think most of it comes out.

Never really had any issues. Often have checked with a borescope over the years on multiple tanks.

I can only give my experiences and anecdotal evidence as someone diligent about doing it.

I get them clean, your results may vary.

 

[Texasmark]

Bradford White recommends drain a gallon of water once a month from the lower tank valve .to clear sediments from tank . I haven’t done it , once in February first time and today got a new 25 foot hose for else of dong the job . Short hose I will do it more often cause what I saw come out of it.
Photo shows the sediment settling out of to bottom of ten quart pail . I think a five gallon bucket would be a better choice .. I didn’t catch most ,some of the big chunks ,hose blow out of the little bucket.

I live in a high alkaline concentration water area. Heaters last me usually 6 years. When I have explored the interior (not an easy job) after replacing, the equalization rod that is inserted in the tank is totally eaten up. Getting tired of that hassle, I have started buying heaters that stir the contents as they fill and I make it a habit of draining off a couple of gallons of water at the extra outlet at the bottom of the tank.....always the water is milky and if left to settle would look like the picture. With the current ideas, I have high expectations for this heater to last longer.

 

[da.bees]

I live in a high alkaline concentration water area. Heaters last me usually 6 years. When I have explored the interior (not an easy job) after replacing, the equalization rod that is inserted in the tank is totally eaten up. Getting tired of that hassle, I have started buying heaters that stir the contents as they fill and I make it a habit of draining off a couple of gallons of water at the extra outlet at the bottom of the tank.....always the water is milky and if left to settle would look like the picture. With the current ideas, I have high expectations for this heater to last longer.

Well don't keep us in suspense, share some models that do that so we can check them out for possibility of future purchase.

 

[Texasmark]

Well don't keep us in suspense, share some models that do that so we can check them out for possibility of future purchase.

Current model: AC Smith Signature 30 gallon, LP. One of the things I like is that the drain valve is not cheap junk and it additionally, has a slot for a screwdriver making it easy to operate the valve while filling a large container.

 

[SweetFeet]

I live in a high alkaline concentration water area. Heaters last me usually 6 years. When I have explored the interior (not an easy job) after replacing, the equalization rod that is inserted in the tank is totally eaten up. Getting tired of that hassle, I have started buying heaters that stir the contents as they fill and I make it a habit of draining off a couple of gallons of water at the extra outlet at the bottom of the tank.....always the water is milky and if left to settle would look like the picture. With the current ideas, I have high expectations for this heater to last longer.

Plumber told me if your anode rods are getting eaten up... then need to replace them. He said the anode getting eaten up; saves the heater tank from corrosion.

 

[Texasmark]

Plumber told me if your anode rods are getting eaten up... then need to replace them. He said the anode getting eaten up; saves the heater tank from corrosion.

I knew that but the first time I tried to remove a rod it wouldn't budge...no amount of effort would cause it to unscrew. Subsequent heaters had the same problem.

 

[DanielW]

The wells at two of our houses are such that the tanks will get full of sediment quite regularly, regardless of what you have up-stream for filtration. One of my peeves is the crappy, chintzy drain valves that come on any new hot water tank - they're usually plastic an likely to break of they get stuck and you have to reef on them to open them. If that happens you're bound to end up with a broken valve and draining a whole tank full of water into your basement.

For the last four or five tanks I've installed, the first thing I do with a new one before filling is remove the crappy plastic factory drain valve and replace it with a brass nipple & ball valve. For the ones at those two houses in question where they silt up very rapidly, I also put an NPT to garden hose adapter on the end of the valve, hooked up a cheapo garden hose running to the nearest floor drain, and leave the hose connected permanently. Every time I'm down there and think of it I open the ball valve and let a gallon or two of water drain.

 

[GChief]

draining a whole tank full of water into your basement.

That would be hard to do, our tank's not in a basement

 

[SweetFeet]

I knew that but the first time I tried to remove a rod it wouldn't budge...no amount of effort would cause it to unscrew. Subsequent heaters had the same problem.

Bummer.

 

[4wdtom]

I knew that but the first time I tried to remove a rod it wouldn't budge...no amount of effort would cause it to unscrew. Subsequent heaters had the same problem.

Was thinking I should have taken the rod out of the new electric water heater I put in last fall before it was in a hart to access location and hard to hold the tank with a wrench on the rod. Could have put a little joint compound on it and not put it in too tight. Too late now. Not too worried though, the last water heater that it replaced lasted me 30 years and the only reason I replaced it is I wanted to do it when I wanted to not when the heater failed and I wasn't ready or had the time and the leak may have made a mess.

 

[Ray,IN]

That would be hard to do, our tank's not in a basement

I run a 50' garden hose out the nearest door. Years ago I actually had a hose plug-up with sediment. Had to remove the hose and blow it out backwards with compressed air before I could finish draining the water heater. Now I have a Culligan water softener, I never get any sediment out of the heater.

4wdTom. Don't use anything that will insulate the anode rod from the tank material threads, it will insulate/ prevent proper galvanic action.

 

[GChief]

I run a 50' garden hose out the nearest door. Years ago I actually had a hose plug-up with sediment. Had to remove the hose and blow it out backwards with compressed air before I could finish draining the water heater. Now I have a Culligan water softener, I never get any sediment out of the heater.

Not everyone has a basement as was implied



And correct about being careful what goes on the threads.

 

[4wdtom]

I run a 50' garden hose out the nearest door. Years ago I actually had a hose plug-up with sediment. Had to remove the hose and blow it out backwards with compressed air before I could finish draining the water heater. Now I have a Culligan water softener, I never get any sediment out of the heater.

4wdTom. Don't use anything that will insulate the anode rod from the tank material threads, it will insulate/ prevent proper galvanic action.

good point

 

[Texasmark]

I run a 50' garden hose out the nearest door. Years ago I actually had a hose plug-up with sediment. Had to remove the hose and blow it out backwards with compressed air before I could finish draining the water heater. Now I have a Culligan water softener, I never get any sediment out of the heater.

4wdTom. Don't use anything that will insulate the anode rod from the tank material threads, it will insulate/ prevent proper galvanic action.

Over the years on several occasions I have done that too.....makes sense.