Hey Jeff, I think I’d just pay the $40.
Should I drain my 3-year-old water heater either monthly or annually even if I have a recirculation pump?
- Thread starter Jeff Davis
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Jeff Davis
Well-Known Member
I feel bad asking this after all of the help, but if I want to be lazy and just never drain the water heater since they've never been drained by me or anyone in the 30 years I've owned this home since it was built, wouldn't that be OK? They've all lasted 10-15 years and I'm OK with that.
After the last one rotted out and started filling up the drain pan, after this 1 was installed, I even set up this little drain pan hose with a few PVC fitting & plastic tubing I got at ACE Hardware so that when it eventually starts leaking, I can run that hose outside and the drain pan will empty itself until the water heater can be replaced, which took a few days last time in 2021.
Also, since the Aqua-stat that I installed a few years ago with help on this Forum after they taught me to use 1 instead of a timer, the recirculation pump runs for about 5 minutes every hour, pushing water into the drainage piping. That seems to me would keep any potential sediment from staying in the same place and creating a hotspot that becomes a leak over time.
Isn't that right & can I just go back to how it's always been?
This whole issue only came up recently because the outfit that installed this water heater 3 years ago, called for the first time wanting to schedule draining it for $39.95.
That had made me think, why not do it myself? That's why I posted this question.
After the last one rotted out and started filling up the drain pan, after this 1 was installed, I even set up this little drain pan hose with a few PVC fitting & plastic tubing I got at ACE Hardware so that when it eventually starts leaking, I can run that hose outside and the drain pan will empty itself until the water heater can be replaced, which took a few days last time in 2021.
Also, since the Aqua-stat that I installed a few years ago with help on this Forum after they taught me to use 1 instead of a timer, the recirculation pump runs for about 5 minutes every hour, pushing water into the drainage piping. That seems to me would keep any potential sediment from staying in the same place and creating a hotspot that becomes a leak over time.
Isn't that right & can I just go back to how it's always been?
This whole issue only came up recently because the outfit that installed this water heater 3 years ago, called for the first time wanting to schedule draining it for $39.95.
That had made me think, why not do it myself? That's why I posted this question.
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Jeff Davis
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I'll think about that. But $ is tight. I was permanently disabled in 2007 on a new agent that had just signed up at my own new EXIT Realty OC real estate brokerage's Honda MX bike that he was hoping to sell to me. Lost my business but somehow kept my big, view home near LA Fitness and was able to put my kids thru college, 1 at UCLA. That's given me all the time I need to fix things myself as I try to save money. Even saving $40 is important when my only income is $2,600/month in federal disability income.
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As far as not doing a flush, it really depends on your water. I have a whirlpool I put in in 2000. Never flushed until a few weeks ago, and I scoped it. Everything looked fine inside, very little sediment. So I closed it back up, and just still running it. If anything does go bad, there's no replacement parts available, they stopped making them and the special parts it takes.
If flushing...
I would put my power flush after #4. Kind of integrating it into that list.
If flushing...
I would put my power flush after #4. Kind of integrating it into that list.
