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Hot water tank flushing

June 26, 2010, 01:24:25 am

For those of us who have a hot water tank...
We just flushed the new tank we installed 3 months ago.
We got lots of white stuff from the tank and some of the water was stirred up white color.
We always flushed our original tank about every 3 month, with similar results.
So it still is a good idea to flush out regularly.

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Re: Hot water tank flushing

Reply #1 – June 26, 2010, 01:28:24 pm

Yes, with an Atwood water heater, purchase a new Atwood nylon drain plug (about $1).  Particularly in an area with hard water, doing it 2-4 times a year is a good idea.

Turn off pressure water and shore water.  Open a faucet to depressurize the water heater.

Since most of the mineral deposits are BELOW the level of the drain plug, I buy 5' of thin-wall clear PVC hose that will just fit through the drain hole.  Remove the drain plug with the tank still full, but not pressurized.  Stick the hose in the heater and start a siphon.  "Vacuum" the bottom of the tank.  With the clear hose, you will see when no more white precipitate is coming out.  If there is still gunk coming out when you run out of water in the tank, hit the pressure water switch and refill the tank.

Put 2 1/4 wraps of teflon tape on the drain plug (leave first thread bare so no tape gets in the water tank and install.

Brett Wolfe

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Re: Hot water tank flushing

Reply #2 – June 26, 2010, 02:38:09 pm

Brett,
What's your advice on replacing the plastic plug with a brass one with a zinc attached ?
Harmful or just a waste of money?

Thanks,
John Fitzgerald, 1991 40' U300 SAI

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Re: Hot water tank flushing

Reply #3 – June 26, 2010, 02:41:42 pm

If Atwood thought an anode was even neutral, they would offer it-- call it an additional profit center.  They do NOT.

And with the tank being aluminum, they do not recommend adding a dissimilar metal, particularly one less noble. 

So my answer is always blow the big bucks ($1) and just replace it with what Atwood recommends.

Brett Wolfe

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Re: Hot water tank flushing

Reply #4 – June 26, 2010, 08:04:47 pm

When I had water heaters, I used a cleaning wand that CW and others carry, that is essentially an 18" length of copper tubing attached to a hose connection through a shutoff valve.  It allows you to use a water jet to break loose deposits from the bottom of the tank.  Twice a year was usually enough, but I was always surprised at how much material came out.

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Re: Hot water tank flushing

Reply #5 – June 27, 2010, 12:29:36 am

BE SURE to turn off or disconnect the Hot water tank ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT before draining any water from the hot water tank.
A powered electric heating element will burn out immediately if not imersed in water.

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