Draining Hot Water Heaters

[TimR]

Uh, have you ever put a wrench on a water heater fitting? Ever take the an ode out? Takes serious muscle. It doesn't distort the tank. Obviously th e fittings are designed to take a load.

My point about the bolted tank is you really have to snug a bolt down tight , holding a plate and several thousand gallons (biggest tank we have at wor k is 420,000 gallons). If the glass coating can tolerate that, a homeowner with an 8 inch crescent isn't even noise.

I still don't drain a tank because I'm wary of the valve not closing. But if I started with a new tank I wouldn't be afraid to put a decent valve on it.

[John G]

I recently had a new water heater installed. The manual says to drain the tank every six months.

[hah]

[snip]

"Heating hot water" is preferable since it takes much less energy and time than heating cold water.

[hah]

[snip]

Some people have a water hardener in the kitchen. It's also called an icemaker.

[bob_villain]

It might be preferable...but more than likely, unnecessary!

[Tony Hwang]

Speaking of a water heater our Kenmore 9 year warrantied one on it's

16th year quit this morning(massive leak). Tomorrow one is being intalled and I was given a choice between A.O. Smith or Bradford White NG burning 50 Gal. unit. One is better than the other? I am wondering.

[Tony Hwang]

I'd think cold water coming into tank will mix with heated water.

[SeaNymph]

I wanted to thank everyone for their responses. This place can be a literal fountain of good information.

[bob_villain]

That happens at the mixer, remember...you wouldn't need a tank if you already had hot water!

[Muggles]

We had a new water heater installed a couple of years ago, but it had a problem with a gas smell around it, off and on. The installer came back several times looking for leaks in the gas line and couldn't find any, but still there was the smell of gas. At one point he adjusted the thermostat a bit higher so the water would be just a little bit hotter than previously, and no more gas smell after that adjustment was made.

I never understood how that adjustment would affect the gas smell issue, but the tank has worked well since then.

[Tony Hwang]

NG smell is artificially added to the gas so we can detect gas leak. Same smell can come from Sulphur rich water(often well water) Do you use well water?

[bob_villain]

...now you'll get all theorists chiming-in, good God!

[Muggles]

No, we use city water.

It took the installer 3 visits over about a weeks time looking for leaks before he adjusted the heating temperature on the tank. After he did that there was no gas smell at all.

[Muggles]

Well, at least it's a home repair topic! LOL Maybe someone with more experience than the guy who installed our water heater has heard of this before.

I haven't touched the thermostat because I'm afraid if I change it, it'll start having that gas smell again.

[clare]

Would you believe less than a dollar at manufacturer's cost??? Mabee as much as $2 on a real good day.

[Tony Hwang]

Maybe raising temp. increased the combustion of NG then.

[Micky]

Did anyone ever ask you if you had a gas or electric water heater? With many questions it makes a difference. You could have volunteered it.

[Muggles]

ok So, if the temp is lower it's not high enough to burn all the gas feeding it?

[Paintedcow]

When they break or leak, I just replace them with a solid brass spigot.

[clare]

I'm suspicious he adjusted the air regulator, not the thermostat. Not all water heaters have an adjustable shutter, but on those that do, a bad air adjustment can cause incomplete combustion, resulting in a mercapitan smell.

The thermostat doesn't affect the flame at all - all it does is turn the fire on and off depending on water temperature.