Should I drain my 3-year-old water heater either monthly or annually even if I have a recirculation pump?

[Jeff Davis]

I never have drained it. The recirculation pump uses an Aqua-stat that makes it run about hourly for 5 minutes, depending on the temperature in my garage where it is. Doesn't the recirculation pump keep any sediment stirred up at the bottom, since that's where it puts the water back into the tank at the drainage outlet, so maybe no sediment ever settles & causes a problem with causing hot spots at the bottom of the tank that can turn into leaks?
I've read some different things online that say I should either drain a gallon or two every month or drain the full tank annually. I don't know what I should do if I do anything, especially if a recirculation pump affects needing to this.
Maybe it matters to those of you that know water heaters, mine is a:
Bradford White Model # URG150T6N 50 gallon bought in May 2021 & it has never been drained.
www.bradfordwhite.com

 

[GReynolds929]

Recirculation pump is not going keep sediment from accumulating. You should still flush the tank.

 

[MicEd69]

A lot of people drain their water heater tanks yearly. Draining a gallon a month will do nothing if you are wanting to remove any minerals that have dropped out of the water while heating the water.

The value of draining your water heater tank depends on the quality of your water. If you have hard water, more sediment will accumulate in your tank. I live in St. Louis County Missouri and the water quality is pretty good. I've never drained my water heater tank and have never had one that didn't last over 14 years.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Recirculation pump is not going keep sediment from accumulating. You should still flush the tank.

Thanks. I'm just curious why it doesn't matter that the recirculation pump's inflow is at the bottom where the sediment settles to. It seems to me like that would keep moving any sentiment to a new spot so that it wasn't just sitting still and creating a hotspot that wears weakens it there each time the heater runs below it.
Again, I'm just curious. Sounds like I'll be setting up a Reminder to drain the thing once a year from now on if I can somehow find out if my City of Orange, CA water supply is hard water.

 

[Jeff Davis]

A lot of people drain their water heater tanks yearly. Draining a gallon a month will do nothing if you are wanting to remove any minerals that have dropped out of the water while heating the water.

The value of draining your water heater tank depends on the quality of your water. If you have hard water, more sediment will accumulate in your tank. I live in St. Louis County Missouri and the water quality is pretty good. I've never drained my water heater tank and have never had one that didn't last over 14 years.

Thanks. How do I find out if my City of Orange, CA water supply is hard water? Do city's put that online or could I test it somehow? We don't have a water softener and have never had any reason to want one. We did in Indiana where our house had a well. I remember putting salt in it.
Our last water heater here lasted a long time, I don't remember how long, and then one day it flooded our garage after it overfilled the drip pan.
This all came up since the plumbing place, Biard & Crockett Plumbing, that was who installed it in 2021 just called and wanted to schedule them to drain it for $40. That's when I thought, I can do that. I have a hose.
Are there anything specific that I should do that isn't on my list here?
𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙔:

1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently
3. Set to Vacation (Pilot Light) mode
4. Connect hose to run out to street or into the pool with nothing on the end
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater
6. Open the valve & drain the tank empty
7. Close the valve
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater
9. Set water heater back up ON

 

[Jeff Davis]

Can I have a little help still? Hope I haven't asked for too much. I'm just wanting to know if my steps that I figure I should do that I listed in my last reply are what I should do.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Thanks. How do I find out if my City of Orange, CA water supply is hard water? Do city's put that online or could I test it somehow? We don't have a water softener and have never had any reason to want one. We did in Indiana where our house had a well. I remember putting salt in it.
Our last water heater here lasted a long time, I don't remember how long, and then one day it flooded our garage after it overfilled the drip pan.
This all came up since the plumbing place, Biard & Crockett Plumbing, that was who installed it in 2021 just called and wanted to schedule them to drain it for $40. That's when I thought, I can do that. I have a hose.
Are there anything specific that I should do that isn't on my list here?
𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙔:

1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently
3. Set to Vacation (Pilot Light) mode
4. Connect hose to run out to street or into the pool with nothing on the end
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater
6. Open the valve & drain the tank empty
7. Close the valve
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater
9. Set water heater back up ON

This just occurred to me. Should I turn ON the water feed into the water heater for a ½ minute to spray any sediment off the tank's bottom after the tank is empty?
That would make the steps:
𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙔:

1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently
3. Set water heater to Vacation (Pilot)
4. Connect hose to run out to street or into the pool with nothing on the end of it
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater
6. Open the drainage valve & drain the tank
7. Turn ON the water feed into water heater for a ½ minute to spray junk off tank's bottom
8. Close the drainage valve
9. Turn ON the water feed into water heater & let it fill up.
10. Set water heater back up ON

 

[MicEd69]

How is your circulating pump piped? Specifically, is there a check valve between the water heater and the hot water fixtures?

In order to drain the tank, you need to let air into the top of the tank. So, after step 5, if there is not a check valve there, you can simply open a hot water faucet. If there is a check valve, you can either open the T&P valve, or disconnect the union (assuming there is one as there usually is) on the hot water line from the water heater. If you open the T&P valve, there is a chance it will start leaking after you put it back in service. mineral deposits can keep that valve from reseating.

I would for sure unplug the circulating pump. And you don't need to set the water heater to "vacation", just turn the gas off on the control. And you can turn the water supply valve on a few times during the draining cycle. and at the end of the after the tank has been drained. And when you refill the water heater, you also need to let the air out of the system. to do that, open a hot water faucet and close it when water starts coming out.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I doubt you’ll get it to drain by just opening a hot water faucet.

You’ll need to pop the relief valve lever, if it doesn’t seat afterward then replace the relief valve.

 

[MicEd69]

I doubt you’ll get it to drain by just opening a hot water faucet.

If there isn't a check valve, why would that not allow the tank to drain? It always works for me when changing out a water heater.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If the water heater is on the same floor level, the top of the water heater is usually above all the fixtures. The piping holds water between the fixture and the heater, there’s no air there.

 

[MicEd69]

If the water heater is on the same floor level, the top of the water heater is usually above all the fixtures. The piping holds water between the fixture and the heater, there’s no air there.

Oh yeah, I forgot you live where there are no basements. I never had to deal with that. LOL.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Oh yeah, I forgot you live where there are no basements. I never had to deal with that. LOL.

I rarely have to haul a heater up and down basement stairs but occasionally I do. Nevertheless, the T&P is a great place to give the tank air and check the safety valve at the same time other service is being performed.

 

[havasu]

As far as the quality of water in the city of Orange, simply get online or call your water department and they will provide you their latest test readings, since this is required by law.

 

[Jeff Davis]

How is your circulating pump piped? Specifically, is there a check valve between the water heater and the hot water fixtures?

In order to drain the tank, you need to let air into the top of the tank. So, after step 5, if there is not a check valve there, you can simply open a hot water faucet. If there is a check valve, you can either open the T&P valve, or disconnect the union (assuming there is one as there usually is) on the hot water line from the water heater. If you open the T&P valve, there is a chance it will start leaking after you put it back in service. mineral deposits can keep that valve from reseating.

I would for sure unplug the circulating pump. And you don't need to set the water heater to "vacation", just turn the gas off on the control. And you can turn the water supply valve on a few times during the draining cycle. and at the end of the after the tank has been drained. And when you refill the water heater, you also need to let the air out of the system. to do that, open a hot water faucet and close it when water starts coming out.

Thanks. I'll read this and the others tomorrow and either do it or ask any questions. But first is, what's that T&P valve that you mentioned & where is it, if mine has one, or do they all have one?
Also, do I need to do anything with one or if i drsins, aren't I ok?

Remember that I'm just a homeowner so I don't have a clue.
There is a check valve down by the recirculation pump.

 

[MicEd69]

The T&P valve (Temperature & Pressure) valve (aka TPR valve) is a relief valve that every water heater has to relieve high pressure or high temperature in case there is a problem with the controls or other malfunction of the water heater system. It is located on the side or the top of the water heater.

If you pull up on the little silver colored lever, that will open the valve letting water out if the tank is pressurized or if the water level is above the connection. That will also allow air into the tank so that the tank will drain.
As Twowaxhack said, if your water heater is at the same level or higher than your fixtures, you can open the T&P valve to drain you water heater. But those valves sometimes do not reseat themselves and need replacing after they are opened.

If you have a basement and the water heater is there, you can simply open a faucet on the hot water side to allow air in the hot water piping if the check valve is not between the faucet and the water heater. That is if your circulating system is similar to the drawing below. Some installations have the pump and check valve on the hot water outlet of the water heater, and therefore the check valve will not allow air to enter the hot water tank from the faucet.

 

[Jeff Davis]

Thanks again for all the help. I think I'm ready to do this but I'm not sure.
The check valve is at the bottom of the tank, which is in the garage of my 2-story house that's built on a slab. It's between the recirculation pump and the outlet valve which is always open to let the recirculation pump water enter the tank.
That valve up top must be what you called the TPR valve that I might need to open?
Maybe I can just open a Hot faucet upstairs before & during draining after I turn OFF the water supply above the water heater? Then I'd turn it OFF before I turn the water feed to the water heater back ON?
This stuff is way outside my level of knowledge, although I'm quite competent mechanically & I understand technical stuff. Can you help me with a plan? I've run small businesses my whole life, the main one was spin forming aluminum wheels for racing go-karts for 21 years from 1984-2005 at Van-K Wheels Inc. www.vankwheels.com
I'd really appreciate it if you could take all this, knowing what you now know about my specific system, and Copy, Paste & Edit this list of steps so that I can just do it?
𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙔:
1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently by feeling the pipe
3. Set water heater to Vacation (Pilot) to keep it from igniting when tank is empty. I'd rather do Vacation and not Gas OFF so I don't need to relite the pilot.
4. Connect a hose to drain it out to the street
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater up top
6. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to let air in as the water heater is drained
7. Open the drainage valve & drain the tank
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater for 10 seconds to spray junk off the tank's bottom
9. Close the drainage valve
10. Close the opened hot water faucet upstairs
11. Turn ON the water feed into water heater & let it fill up.
12. Set water heater to ON
13. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to bleed air
14. Plug back in the recirculating pump

You probably already know to tap on these thumbnails to see the whole photo.

 

[MicEd69]

Thanks again for all the help. I think I'm ready to do this but I'm not sure.
The check valve is at the bottom of the tank, which is in the garage of my 2-story house that's built on a slab. It's between the recirculation pump and the outlet valve which is always open to let the recirculation pump water enter the tank.
That valve up top must be what you called the TPR valve that I might need to open?
Maybe I can just open a Hot faucet upstairs before & during draining after I turn OFF the water supply above the water heater? Then I'd turn it OFF before I turn the water feed to the water heater back ON?
This stuff is way outside my level of knowledge, although I'm quite competent mechanically & I understand technical stuff. Can you help me with a plan? I've run small businesses my whole life, the main one was spin forming aluminum wheels for racing go-karts for 21 years from 1984-2005 at Van-K Wheels Inc. www.vankwheels.com
I'd really appreciate it if you could take all this, knowing what you now know about my specific system, and Copy, Paste & Edit this list of steps so that I can just do it?
𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙔:
1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently by feeling the pipe
3. Set water heater to Vacation (Pilot) to keep it from igniting when tank is empty. I'd rather do Vacation and not Gas OFF so I don't need to relite the pilot.
4. Connect a hose to drain it out to the street
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater up top
6. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to let air in as the water heater is drained
7. Open the drainage valve & drain the tank
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater for 10 seconds to spray junk off the tank's bottom
9. Close the drainage valve
10. Close the opened hot water faucet upstairs
11. Turn ON the water feed into water heater & let it fill up.
12. Set water heater to ON
13. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to bleed air
14. Plug back in the recirculating pump

You probably already know to tap on these thumbnails to see the whole photo.

Here's a few suggestions.

1. Clear the area
2. Unplug recirculating pump or make sure it's been run recently by feeling the pipe
3. Set water heater to Vacation (Pilot) to keep it from igniting when tank is empty. I'd rather do Vacation and not Gas OFF so I don't need to relite the pilot.
4. Connect a hose to drain it out to the street
5. Turn OFF the water feed into the water heater up top
6. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to let air in as the water heater is drained
7. Open the drainage valve & drain the tank
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater for 10 seconds to spray junk off the tank's bottom (Do step 8 four or five times)
9. Close the drainage valve
10. Turn ON the water feed into water heater & let it fill up.
11. Close the opened hot water faucet upstairs when water starts to come out
12. Set water heater to ON and let it heat the water
13. Open a hot water faucet upstairs to bleed air
14. Plug back in the recirculating pump

 

[Ludington]

I will (when I do it) attach the garden hose to the bottom and open it up with house pressure on it, that gives it some umph to get it going and draining out, I leave that running for 5 minutes or so, kind of a power flush, then open the hot water tap in the house, and then close the cold water feed. That seems to work well.

 

[Jeff Davis]

I will (when I do it) attach the garden hose to the bottom and open it up with house pressure on it, that gives it some umph to get it going and draining out, I leave that running for 5 minutes or so, kind of a power flush, then open the hot water tap in the house, and then close the cold water feed. That seems to work well.

I was understanding & thinking I liked your idea but I got confused. Are you saying that this is instead of MicEd69's step correction of my Step 8 saying in parentheses?:
8. Turn ON the water feed into water heater for 10 seconds to spray junk off the tank's bottom (Do step 8 four or five times)
Are you saying that yours replaces his 4 or 5 blasts or do you do yours in addition to what he suggests?