Question about Water Heaters

[Alchase]

My house is 5 1/2 years old. The gas water heater was new with the house.
My question is, how often do you in the know, flush your water heaters?

 

[Dagny]

When the bottom element burns out , But yours don't have elements.

 

[brownbagg]

i never flush mine, 21 years later, i got a hole in the tank but elements was fine. had to replace that day

 

[PWC Repair]

If you're on city water or have a softener.......never. Hard well water like me, every year or burn out a lower element every 3.

 

[The Cobbler]

never have flushed a HWT . since the early 60's my house is on the 4th tank (circa 1012) . the 3rd tank was working fine, but when I replaced the furnace with HE, I swapped out the heater so I could get rid of the chimney

 

[rharman]

I drain out a few gallons every few months - or, at least, I try to. Always get some sediment out.

I changed out the standard drain for a ball valve with a hose bib on it.

I also replace the anode rod about every 3 years.

 

[paulsomlo]

My GF has a tank heater - I drain it every year and check the anode rod.

And I also changed out the original drain for a 3/4" ball valve.

 

[Nosferatu]

Never. I have better things to do with my life.

 

[Alchase]

Thanks for all your inputs!

I don’t honestly know if I am closer to an answer, but I appreciate all your help.

This is what I am trying to decide:

1. Do nothing, makes no difference in the life of a water heater.

2. flush once a year (at least) and hope for the best!
LOL

 

[Git]

80 gallon Bradford White installed in 2003, still going strong. It came with a 6 year warranty. Never flushed or did anything with it

 

[Mikeske]

I bought my manufactured home in 1989 and a year later the lower element burned out. I took one look at the 30 gallon baby tank, I had grown tired of having cold showers if my son had jumped ahead of me to get his shower and I went to the Hardware store and bought a 55 gallon scratched paint on the outer paint that I got some sort of cheap deal. Took it home and installed it myself. In 2016 I decided since I was going to retire soon I replaced the that water heater and had a new one installed along with getting a new heat pump system installed. Since I never drained any of the three tanks this place has and never had any real issues but the that scratched tank was on its last legs as the bottom had started to rust out.

The only issue I had is the current water heater the sensors are **** but the actual water heater is fine. The upper sensor shorted out a couple years ago and either flaming hot water or the opposite, I can vouch for it was no fun taking a shower. Once I replaced the upper sensor I decided to check the lower sensor and the yep the upper sensor had shorted and it had damaged the connectors to the lower sensor. I decided to take a chance and did not do anything other then replace the connectors and see what happens. I haven't been back since that happened except to replace the battery in the water sensor I have in the drip pan.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you're on city water or have a softener.......never. Hard well water like me, every year or burn out a lower element every 3.

If you have had water you should replace the anode also.

 

[gmcgeo]

If you have had hard water you should replace the anode also.

 

[FMB4]

I flush our WH out maybe every 2-3 years. Wife was disgusted with what the drain water looked like a few yrs ago (partially drained such into a white 5 gal bucket). That said, you might want to follow what the manufacturer recommends.

 

[Jackfre]

I was in the plumbing business for some years. The answer to your question is to look at your water quality for both chemicals and filtration. I can handle a new 40 gal water heater by myself. I have seen the old water heater once drained, require two men preferably with a pneumatic wheel hand cart to get it out due to dirty water settling out precipitation into the bottom of the tank. If you are on city water request a water analysis from the Water Board. they will send it to you. Given that yours is a gas heater and the burner is on the bottom I would suggest flushing the tank. The first time you do it, replace that pos plastic drain valve with a 3/4” full port ball valve. Shut off the burner, Drain the tank completely. Once it is cool turn on the cold to the tank. The cold supply should flush the **** off the bottom of the tank. Drain some of that into a bucket to see what you are getting out of the tank. Or like 99% of people you can simply wait until you have to replace the tank.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Thanks for all your inputs!

I don’t honestly know if I am closer to an answer, but I appreciate all your help.

This is what I am trying to decide:

1. Do nothing, makes no difference in the life of a water heater.

2. flush once a year (at least) and hope for the best!
LOL

It really "boils" down to the quality of your water. If you're on city water- that's an improvement from straight well water. But, water can still be "hard" or have other high contaminant count. Soft water being just the opposite.

Here in the ATL (Fulton County), the water quality is exceptional and quite neutral. Of the few water heaters I have replaced most were relatively free from contaminants- but I do remember one that had so much **** in the bottom that the draincock was actually clogged. It was most likely original to the house- 20+yrs old.

 

[ford33]

I drain my 15 year old tank yearly and replace the anode rod every 7 years or so. My previous tank lasted 21 years. I think this maintenance extends the life of the equipment.

 

[Alchase]

I think I will drain it just to satisfy my curiosity. And I am definitely going to replace the valve.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[olytdi]

Since the OP has seemingly come to his conclusion, might I elbow-in with an on-topic question?

I have a Bradford White electric water heater that I think is about 10 years old (was in the home when I bought it). I'd like to drain and flush it but it sits on the floor inside a leak catch pan with about three inch high walls.

The walls of the pan are higher than the drain. In fact, the outlet is about an inch or so from the pan's side wall thereby preventing the ability to attach a hose as there is no clearance. The only way I see to attach a hose to drain the tank is to cut the wall of the pan away, rendering it no longer useful as a leak container, and then running a hose out the door to the yard.

Anyone ever face a similar dilemma?

I think when it comes time to replace the water heater, I'll put the new one on a platform of blocks thereby elevating it. The blocks can sit in a catch pan so that there's still leak protection but the outlet would then be accessible.

 

[Jlarson]

Yearly, not hard to hook a hose on and flush it out and watch all the **** come out.

Last heater I helped someone change was so heavy with waterlogged crust and rust we picked it with my service truck crane.

 

[justler]

I flush mine once a year, check the anode rod and actuate the over pressure valve. I don't think the previous owners ever checked the rod in the 5 years they lived here when the house was built. Pulled it out the first year we moved in and it was gone. Takes me about 30 mins. I'd do once a year and see how it goes at year 2 and adjust your maintenance schedule probably.

We're on well water and they never had a softener and had a crappy sediment filter. Our water is still acidic but it's not hard anymore which helps.

The only thing you need for both is a hose long enough to get out the door, a breaker bar from harbor freight and a 1 1/16" deep socket.

 

[rayra]

after losing a gas heater due to sediment buildup (percolation noises are a sign) I got religious about flushing it out at least once a year. And after any water line work in my then 50yr-old neighborhood.
One of the first things I did in our new / old house when we moved, a year ago. Despite the water heater looking pretty new. In fact it is time to do that again.

 

[PassnThru]

Since the OP has seemingly come to his conclusion, might I elbow-in with an on-topic question?

I have a Bradford White electric water heater that I think is about 10 years old (was in the home when I bought it). I'd like to drain and flush it but it sits on the floor inside a leak catch pan with about three inch high walls.

The walls of the pan are higher than the drain. In fact, the outlet is about an inch or so from the pan's side wall thereby preventing the ability to attach a hose as there is no clearance. The only way I see to attach a hose to drain the tank is to cut the wall of the pan away, rendering it no longer useful as a leak container, and then running a hose out the door to the yard.

Anyone ever face a similar dilemma?

I think when it comes time to replace the water heater, I'll put the new one on a platform of blocks thereby elevating it. The blocks can sit in a catch pan so that there's still leak protection but the outlet would then be accessible.

I would look for a more compact valve first - failing that I would see if I could reposition the existing valve to gain clearance to get a hose attached. It really doesn't matter if it's not pointing down - the weight of the water will overcome that. You could carefully tighten it some more for the clearance - or you could loosen it some and not worry about a slow leak while draining.

 

[olytdi]

I would look for a more compact valve first - failing that I would see if I could reposition the existing valve to gain clearance to get a hose attached. It really doesn't matter if it's not pointing down - the weight of the water will overcome that. You could carefully tighten it some more for the clearance - or you could loosen it some and not worry about a slow leak while draining.

Thanks, PassnThru

 

[yeldogt]

How lucky do you feel?

You will not hurt anything with drawing some water from the tank .... give it a look. It's hot so be careful ....

I'm not lucky ---------- it seems whenever I check a little used valve or whatever -- it wants to leak after. Same with the anode -- some people check them from the beginning and have no problems .... sliding them back in or replacing. It seems after things sit they rust or corrode and leak putting them back together. I'm not in a bad water area ... so -- my stuff seems to last.

 

[dcg9381]

My question is, how often do you in the know, flush your water heaters?

This is going to vary substantially based on what is in your water...

 

[Steve_P]

I have a gas WH and city water that's "hard". My last WH lasted ~20 years. I never drained it because something was screwed up with the valve, no water came out, and I was too lazy to fix it. I've drained my current WH after 5 years and didn't see anything visible deposited on the driveway from the hose. So I'd say no more often than every 5 years unless you have crappy water full of sediment.

 

[rayra]

I'm re-working some plumbing near our main inlet and shutoff valve later this year, intending to extend a hot water supply to a hose outlet, and the location of everything in the forward wall of our garage will lend itself to a whole-house water filtration setup. At the very least it would be a good time for me to add a whole-house sediment filter. Just need to look into our pressures and the water setup. THere's other things I need to do there while I have that wall section open.

 

[jahn]

I checked it one time about 12 years ago, about a year after I bought the house. I had the egg smell about a year ago, drained, replace anode. Still the smell came back and I breached the system and it came back. I replace with an electric anode and all is good. But all the draining the heater I have had very little sediment. I am running well with a softener.

 

[RoninB4]

For those of you on well water or just have an old water heater: I had a smell of sulfur in the water of the house I just bought, the WH was original from 2012. Some reading showed that the WH is a perfect place for bacteria to grow, dark and wet. The suggestion I read was to let it cool down, drain a gallon or two from the WH, and pour in a pint of hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for a few hours. Chlorine can be bad for internal organs but hydrogen peroxide is harmless if ingested. Inexpensive, and no chance of bleach ruining clothing. I did end up replacing the WH but that was due to an insane accumulation of sludge in the bottom from no filtration system on well water. Look it up.

 

[Bretny]

I was in the plumbing business for some years. The answer to your question is to look at your water quality for both chemicals and filtration. I can handle a new 40 gal water heater by myself. I have seen the old water heater once drained, require two men preferably with a pneumatic wheel hand cart to get it out due to dirty water settling out precipitation into the bottom of the tank. If you are on city water request a water analysis from the Water Board. they will send it to you. Given that yours is a gas heater and the burner is on the bottom I would suggest flushing the tank. The first time you do it, replace that pos plastic drain valve with a 3/4” full port ball valve. Shut off the burner, Drain the tank completely. Once it is cool turn on the cold to the tank. The cold supply should flush the **** off the bottom of the tank. Drain some of that into a bucket to see what you are getting out of the tank. Or like 99% of people you can simply wait until you have to replace the tank.

Your not kidding about the old ones being alot heavier. My 11yr old GE heat pump water heater blew a hole in the tank (never used the electric elements) and it was so heavy I had to remove it with my excavator. The new one I could almost bear hug and put it on its stand.

It really all depends on water quality. No one awnser is correct.

 

[thammel]

Between 1.5 to 2 years when I replace my anode rod is when I flush it. Mine is a power vent propane heater and I am on a well. I find the anode rod totally consumed in a little over 2 years.