Draining a water heater annually?

[daddo]

I can't afford that amount of garden hose.




When I drain ours, I remove the drain valve and scrap the sediment out. I made a scraper from a 1/8x1/2 piece of flat iron. The end is spoon shaped.

 I used to use something just like that too to get around the corners so the vacuum could pick it up.

[frule]

So we just had a new water heater installed with our new furnace ( 50 gallon BW natural gas) and I thought I remembered that it was recommended to turn off and drain the tank once a year?
Does anyone do this and is there any benefit?

Thanks

I drain mine yearly and check the anode tube (probably the one most important thing to do to lengthen a WH life).
Here is a great site for all things about water heaters:

http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sedime...shelectric

[johndi]

Thanks for the link!

[EricU]

about how long does it take to drain?  My estimates are off because I have never done it until the thing was fully crusted over, so the valve was really slow.  Last time I did it, the stuff was enclosing the lower heating element.  Oops, new water heater time

[cams2705]

about how long does it take to drain?  My estimates are off because I have never done it until the thing was fully crusted over, so the valve was really slow.  Last time I did it, the stuff was enclosing the lower heating element.  Oops, new water heater time

My daughter can drain a 50-gallon hot water heater in about 5 minutes or less! 

[EricU]

the problem with that method is that it refills the water heater at the same time.  I need mine pretty empty because I'm replacing the leak pan and moving it a couple of inches

[Stwood_]

I drain mine fully. No sloshing around. I then remove the drain valve from the tank, so I can get my homemade scrapper in there and scrap all the residue out of the tank.

[Edwin Hackleman]

So we just had a new water heater installed with our new furnace ( 50 gallon BW natural gas) and I thought I remembered that it was recommended to turn off and drain the tank once a year?
Does anyone do this and is there any benefit?

Thanks

I just replaced an A.O. Smith 40-gal gas water heater after it lasted 30 years. I drained it once during the 30-year period. I suppose I could have kept it another 10 years. It was still working fine, but everybody said, "Your water heater is 30 years old?"

[Mr_Mike]

Why drain when you can leave it under pressure and purge? Just wondering why?

[Stwood_]

Ours doesn't *purge* out. Buildup sticks to the tank.