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| mothballed water heater | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sat Sep 4th, 2010 10:00 pm |
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1st Post |
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suki Member
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I recently installed a new gas water heater with your recommended retrofits (two anode rods, curved dip tube, ball valve, heat traps) in my house that I don't currently live in and am renovating. Maybe once every 6 months a guest will use the house but otherwise I turn off the gas and water supply to the water heater. The question I have is whether I should leave the water heater full of water or drain it during long (6 months or more) of inactivity? If I drain it and the residual water level is below the longest anode rod will there be the possibility of rusting if the glass lining is compromised? Thanks for your help.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 6th, 2010 05:32 pm |
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2nd Post |
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eleent Member 
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Hello: The problem is double edged. The tank is best protected from rust by being full of water with the anode working correctly. A partly filled tank is not protected. Draining the tank can work if the tank is completely dry and stays that way. Leaving a tank unused for six months, full of water could give you a really stinky mess  Yours, Larry
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| Posted: Tue Sep 7th, 2010 02:33 pm |
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3rd Post |
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suki Member
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Thanks Larry for the insight. I then have two other scenarios for you to comment on: 1) Would leaving a hot water tap open on an upper floor with a full water tank be beneficial? 2) Would leaving the gas and water supplies on and just running the pilot light be a good idea? I know from experience that just a pilot light will maintain quite a bit of the temperature of a full tank if it is not emptied frequently.
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| Posted: Tue Sep 14th, 2010 04:13 am |
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4th Post |
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suki Member
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Any comment to my post of September 7th and why would a full tank dormant for six months turn into a "stinky mess" ( Larry, your post of September 6th)?
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15th, 2010 06:43 am |
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5th Post |
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eleent Member
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Hello: I've returned to my computer  Stinky mess will happen if a tank sits unused as the anode will continue to protect the tank and in doing its job, hydrogen gas is produced. The stinky anaerobic bacteria really like hydrogen and warmth. Leaving an upstairs tap open will have no effect on odor if the water supply is off. If it's on, you'll waste a lot of water in six months. A pilot light running will make the bacteria quite comfortable, which you don't really want. They don't much need encouragement from us  Yours, Larry
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