Maintenance for older ignored tank
#1
03-07-07, 11:14 AM
Maintenance for older ignored tank
Hello everybody.
I have a 30 gal. gas A O Smith which was installed in 1993. I have done no maintenance on it since with the exception of draining the tank a handful of times over recent years (I've learned here that I should have been FLUSHING it instead). Other than being fairly loud when heating water I've had no problems with it. My question is this, is it too late to try to start flushing the tank, trying to get off the likely rusted on anode to inspect it, or other maintenance items on a tank this old? I'm particularly interested in trying to quiet the loud percolating sounds. I've read here that "baked on" deposits cannot be flushed out of the tank. Is there any way to clean these out too? I do not doubt the expertise of the respondents here, but it seems to me that it would be difficult for a thick layer of sediment to permanently cake or bake on the bottom of the tank. If any water seeped under the layer wouldn't the expansion and boiling of the water under the layer keep it from ever permanently solidifying? Thanks for your thoughts.
I have a 30 gal. gas A O Smith which was installed in 1993. I have done no maintenance on it since with the exception of draining the tank a handful of times over recent years (I've learned here that I should have been FLUSHING it instead). Other than being fairly loud when heating water I've had no problems with it. My question is this, is it too late to try to start flushing the tank, trying to get off the likely rusted on anode to inspect it, or other maintenance items on a tank this old? I'm particularly interested in trying to quiet the loud percolating sounds. I've read here that "baked on" deposits cannot be flushed out of the tank. Is there any way to clean these out too? I do not doubt the expertise of the respondents here, but it seems to me that it would be difficult for a thick layer of sediment to permanently cake or bake on the bottom of the tank. If any water seeped under the layer wouldn't the expansion and boiling of the water under the layer keep it from ever permanently solidifying? Thanks for your thoughts.
#2
03-07-07, 06:41 PM
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 18,495
Received 37 Upvotes
on
29 Posts
If this is a gas-fired heater then you are on borrowed time already. The "average" lifespan (whatever average may be) is about ten years. Electric heaters can average better than fifteen years and with periodic flushing, twenty years is not unheard of.
If you have a gas heater then aggressive flushing may hasten failure. I think that you should seriously consider a replacement and then start your maintenance program.
If you have a gas heater then aggressive flushing may hasten failure. I think that you should seriously consider a replacement and then start your maintenance program.
