[elky] Re: Fw: Non Elky Plumbing mystery
- From: Jared Ryan <jryan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 12:10:50 -0600
It depends on local water quality how quickly it happens, but water heaters do
build up scale inside. Flushing has not made much difference in my experience.
I've now seen three water heaters replaced not because they quit working but
because they were so full of scale that the volume of water being heated was
drastically reduced.
It's really eye-opening how much lighter a new heater always seems to be
compared to the old one that's replaced.
Our water is not particularly hard but does have stuff that builds up scale
over the years. I figure 10 years as the lifespan of a water heater in this
area, just due to scale build-up. We've tried flushing, but it doesn't seem to
help much.
On Nov 13, 2010, at 12:03 PM, Dann Keller wrote:
> Rick,
>
> That is same kind of drain "device" that came with our new tank last year
> also. It's a PITA but it does work and I guess the curious (kids and morons
> ?) won't accidnetally turn it on (if that's the problem they are trying to
> address.) It works pretty well with a large flat-blade screw driver. I draw
> 3 or 4 gallons of hot water out from time to time for car-washing and such
> and seldom drain just for preventage maintenance. Ours is gas heated and
> I've heard that they sometimes build up scale on the bottom that needs to be
> flushed out from time to time to improve performance.
>
> Dan
>
> From: dragan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [elky] Fw: Non Elky Plumbing mystery
> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 01:37:34 -0800
>
>
> On my high-tech well advertised and incredibly overpriced twentyfirst century
> electric water heater there is a drain valve at the bottom as there should be.
>
> But it is alien to me. I have never seen the likes of this amazing brass
> what-ever-you-call-it-thingie before.
>
> Is is merely a screwdriver operated faucet? And if so why? Why would such a
> thing even exist? What is going on? Will Rod Serling step from behind the
> curtain?
>
> Here are some pictures I took while standing on my head and feeling a bit
> sick to my stomach. Sorry about the poor quality as I could not see what I
> was doing at all. It was point and hope time.
>
> It is past time to drain my water heater and I wonder if there may be a nasty
> gotcha associated with this bizarre brass manifestation of some form of
> engineering I am not familiar with. Klingon perhaps? Too brutal looking to be
> Romulan.
>
> Rick Draganowski
> (Doubtful in Oregon)
>
Other related posts:
