Drain/flush water heater

[Fmkehoe99]

Is it “better late than never” to flush sediment etc. out of a water heater. It’s been 9 years. Should I just forget about it now? And yes.... I am a major procrastinator.

 

[TomFOhio]

What kind of drain valve to you have brass or plastic.??? If its brass go ahead and flush it out and if its plastic I would leave
well enough alone.

 

[Fmkehoe99]

Plastic round wheel with male hose threads.

 

[voletl]

Dont even bother at this point

 

[TomFOhio]

Voletl is right. If you open this valve then 9 times out of 10 it is going to want to drip. Then you'll have to replace it or buy
a hose cap for it.

 

[frodo]

I disagree.
drain the heater, and remove the plastic crapola valve
replace with a brass nipple and a brass ball valve with a hose connection/cap/chain

when you flush a water heater you empty it then flush it, so i have no idea why you are being told it is to much of a hassle
even though your heater is 9 years old, flushing it will prolong its life

 

[voletl]

My experience Ive seen draining and removing sediment and stirring things up after YEARS of not causes more problems then good and not just the drain valve. 9 years uou never done a thing and its still truckin. To me let it do its thing.

 

[rickwhoo]

I would remove the valve and replace it like frodo said. You will most likely have to use a screw driver or something to loosen the build up behind that valve that has been forming for all those years. It would be a fun job in my opinion.

I drained mine every year and my tank lasted 16 years... With the plastic valve too.

 

[frodo]

I would remove the valve and replace it like frodo said. You will most likely have to use a screw driver or something to loosen the build up behind that valve that has been forming for all those years. It would be a fun job in my opinion.

I drained mine every year and my tank lasted 16 years... With the plastic valve too.

exactly,

 

[jtorm]

I replaced a water heater awhile back where the home owner drained it every year and about two months later the neighbors started leaking and I had to replace theirs. The second home owner never flushed his out. The houses were built the same time and the water heaters were the same age and they lasted the same amount of time. So after that I have never seen a big advantage to draining water heaters besides the fact that the water heater that had been flushed every year was a lot easier to drain (the other one took a lot longer to drain since it had more sediment)

 

[frodo]

imo, only a gas water heater benefits from being flushed out. because the calcium build up on the bottom of the tank makes heating the water take longer, on a electric, the element is not touching the calcium

 

[Fmkehoe99]

All very good arguments/opinions.

 

[Fmkehoe99]

...and since mine is gas, I’ll schedule some time to do it, new valve and all.
Thanx.