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Posted by hr(bob) hofmann@att.net on October 20, 2009, 6:21 pm
I drained my 3 year-old gas water heater last night, for the first
time. I drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basement at a
lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose that
I screwed onto the drain output. There was no sign of anything other
than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put a
couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
also. I guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I missed
something.
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Posted by Ed Pawlowski on October 20, 2009, 6:35 pm
>I drained my 3 year-old gas water heater last night, for the first
> time. I drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basement at a
> lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose that
> I screwed onto the drain output. There was no sign of anything other
> than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
> After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put a
> couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
> stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
> also. I guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I missed
> something.
Probably not. If everything goes right, the water passes through and leaves
little or nothing behind. Mud comes from solids the precipitate out when
standing. If you have good water, there will be little solids. Some water
supplies have lots of sediment. If you have a whole house filter in line,
that helps too.
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Posted by hallerb@aol.com on October 20, 2009, 7:20 pm
> >I drained my 3 year-old gas water heater last night, for the first
> > time. =EF=BF=BDI drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basemen=
t at a
> > lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose that
> > I screwed onto the drain output. =EF=BF=BDThere was no sign of anything=
other
> > than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
> > After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put a
> > couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
> > stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
> > also. =EF=BF=BDI guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I misse=
d
> > something.
> Probably not. =EF=BF=BDIf everything goes right, the water passes through=
and leaves
> little or nothing behind. Mud comes from solids the precipitate out when
> standing. =EF=BF=BDIf you have good water, there will be little solids. =
=EF=BF=BDSome water
> supplies have lots of sediment. =EF=BF=BDIf you have a whole house filter=
in line,
> that helps too.
my heater never has sediment of any type, so i quit draing it after
one drsaining where the thermocouple failed after turning tank off.
to me water heaters are install and forget till they fail or get old
and i replace them as preventive maintence.
if you divide the purchase cost per year of service its less than a
buck a week, or one cheap candy bar per week.
not worth messing with, espically risking premature tank failure
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Posted by TimR on October 20, 2009, 9:30 pm
.
> > >I drained my 3 year-old gas water heater last night, for the first
> > > time. I drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basement at a
> > > lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose tha=
t
> > > I screwed onto the drain output. There was no sign of anything other
> > > than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
> > > After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put =
a
> > > couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
> > > stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
> > > also. I guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I missed
> > > something.
> > Probably not. If everything goes right, the water passes through and le=
aves
> > little or nothing behind. Mud comes from solids the precipitate out whe=
n
> > standing. If you have good water, there will be little solids. Some wat=
er
> > supplies have lots of sediment. If you have a whole house filter in lin=
e,
> > that helps too.
> my heater never has sediment of any type, so i quit draing it after
> one drsaining where the thermocouple failed after turning tank off.
> to me water heaters are install and forget till they fail or get old
> and i replace them as preventive maintence.
> if you divide the purchase cost per year of service its less than a
> buck a week, or one cheap candy bar per week.
> not worth messing with, espically risking premature tank failure
The argument I've heard is that draining them can leave some sediment
in the valve. If so, after a couple of times you may find you can't
shut it all the way off.
I've never drained one and so far never had one fail that seemed to be
sediment related. But with a number of kids, may our flow through was
enough to keep it clean.
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Posted by on October 20, 2009, 10:39 pm
wrote:
>> > >I drained my 3 year-old gas water heater last night, for the first
>> > > time. I drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basement at a
>> > > lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose that
>> > > I screwed onto the drain output. There was no sign of anything other
>> > > than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
>> > > After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put a
>> > > couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
>> > > stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
>> > > also. I guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I missed
>> > > something.
>> > Probably not. If everything goes right, the water passes through and leaves
>> > little or nothing behind. Mud comes from solids the precipitate out when
>> > standing. If you have good water, there will be little solids. Some water
>> > supplies have lots of sediment. If you have a whole house filter in line,
>> > that helps too.
>> my heater never has sediment of any type, so i quit draing it after
>> one drsaining where the thermocouple failed after turning tank off.
>> to me water heaters are install and forget till they fail or get old
>> and i replace them as preventive maintence.
>> if you divide the purchase cost per year of service its less than a
>> buck a week, or one cheap candy bar per week.
>> not worth messing with, espically risking premature tank failure
>The argument I've heard is that draining them can leave some sediment
>in the valve. If so, after a couple of times you may find you can't
>shut it all the way off.
>I've never drained one and so far never had one fail that seemed to be
>sediment related. But with a number of kids, may our flow through was
>enough to keep it clean.
Where I live the water sucks so bad your bottom element will me under
the mud in a few years. I found the little drain valve they put in is
no match for scale. I take it out day 1 before I install the heater,
extend that hole out with a 3/4 galv nipple and put a ball valve in.
That works pretty well. I may use a gate valve next time tho since you
can take them apart and clean them.
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> time. I drained it into a sump pump pit that is in the basement at a
> lower level than the water heater, through a piece of garden hose that
> I screwed onto the drain output. There was no sign of anything other
> than clear water throughout the entire 40 gallon draining process.
> After it finished draining, I turned the input water back on and put a
> couple of gallons of fresh water into the heater to see if I could
> stir up anything on the bottom. But the new water drained out clear
> also. I guess I should be happy, but I am wondering if I missed
> something.