Everybody knows that they should drain their water heater periodically, yet hardley anyone does. Why? Mostly because it's usually a complete pain in the butt. The cheap, manufacturer installed valves get all corroded, and what water you can get to seep out is scalding your hands as you try to turn the dail.
Last week I discovered that my 12 year old water heater was leaking, and it was time for a new one. I knew it was on it's last leg anyway - the drain valve didn't even turn anymore. So I didn't mind replacing it while my basement was still torn apart. I called the plumber who did the work on my drain pipe, and he gave me an estimate and another quick date.
I decided that this time I would REALLY take care of my new water heater and drain it more often, so I asked the plumber if a more durable valve could be used. He just got a puzzled look on his face and said that he only had what the manufacturer had installed. It turns out that this valve (shown right) couldn't even be turned by hand! You had to use a screw driver. Let's say you actually drained your heater ever few months - how long before the screw head gets stripped?
I was pretty irritated. Sure, a plumber can berate you for not draining your tank, but they sure don't go out of their way to make it any easier to drain. I decided to head straight to the hardware store and get my own valve.
I picked out an enormus 3/4 inch ball joint valve, and a garden hose fitting. The beauty of this setup was that if the valve ever clogs again, I could open it and clean it out with a stiff wire.
I asked the guy at the hardware store if he thought this would work for a water heater and he laughed and said, "No, no, here's what you want" - and he pointed to an even cheaper looking plastic water heater replacement valve. I just sighed and said "No, this is the reason that no one drains their water heaters". Finally he agreed that my contraption would work, but that it was an expensive solution. Yeah that's it. $10 for a valve that will probably out live me, or $4 for one that will only last a couple of years. The picture above shows the original valve on the right, and my new one on the left.
So, disregaurding all of the "professional" advice, I proceeded to put the new valve on my water heater. I also bought some clear tubing and a host fitting and connected it to my new valve. Now, all I have to do is open the ball-joint valve, and run the water through the tubing until the water runs clear. The whole process takes about 3 seconds. I don't even bother turning off the cold water intake - just flush it through that much faster.
So what did we learn? Contractors suck. I think it's a conspiracy. These "professionals" don't want you to drain your water heater at all! If you did, it could last indefinately. Then you wouldn't have to buy a new one in ten years. The whole thing drives me crazy. I should start a website called "The Angry Homeowner".
All I know is this water heater is going to last me a long time - and when I need a new one, I'm going to do it myself.
