hot water tank drain valve

If the plastic valve isn't leaking now, chances are that it will last until it is opened again. These cheap valves are designed to be used only once -- at the end of the heater's life. If you intend to periodically flush out the tank (extending its life), replace the drain valve with a brass one. Most likely the opening in the tank is 3/4" pipe thread. Seal the new valve with Teflon tape or pipe dope.

if your going to drain occasionally install a ball valve, the large opeing wouldnt clog.

"edee_em" wrote in news:2ci7k.7016$ snipped-for-privacy@read1.cgocable.net:

Use the teflon tape. You can try some plumbers putty if you want, but it's a lot of trouble.

Your choices are metal or plastic. Plastic valves are good for a few uses before they fail. Better tanks *come with* a metal valve. Use a metal valve. They're all brass, as far as I can tell.

I put a brass hose cap at the end of my valve. I don' t know why these valves always leak, but it seems like a simple fix to just put a cap.

Right on about the plastic valves being crap. I took my old one apart and found a flimsy o-ring at the end of the stem is all there is to the valve and it had come off, ergo the leak. There really isn't a whole lot there to instill any confidence that it would hold back 50 gallons of hot water!

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I really appreciate them all!

Edee em

I put a brass hose cap at the end of my valve. I don' t know why these valves always leak, but it seems like a simple fix to just put a cap.