How often do you drain hot water heater tank?

I like micahmiles answer haha...

I drain mine once a year during my blow-out of water in the water lines.

I have noticed a couple of recent post of the hot water smelling bad. I would drain mine more often if that was my case.

I probably don't have an anode rod anymore - have never inspected that in the past five years of owning my trailer. Thanks for the reminder...

Roy Ken

BB_TX wrote:

K Charles wrote:
When I winterize

Same here.

DITTO!

On my former camper I would sometimes get a foul Odor from the hot water tank. This was due to the water at the campground we frequented. I would have to drain and flush it out quite often. Have not needed to do this on our new 5er yet. We have not been back to that campground this year. It will be interesting to see what happens after we do visit it.

Once per year when winterizing.

Each time I winterize, some years that can be 3 or more times as we aren't bashful in going somewhere in the winter months.

Never during the three warm months, then as need to protect from freezing during our not so mild periods of Winter.

Annually, when I check the anode. I also flush it thoroughly at the same time. We don't winterize as we snowbird. It's just part of the maintenance cycle I go through for the entire coach. I do all my own work.

Why would you ever drain a water heater during the season. That makes NO sense at all. What a waste of time, and actually causes more wear on it. There's always a small amount of water you can't get out, and allowing the moisture and air go get to the tank wall just makes it rust quicker inside. Air and moisture cause oxidation to the inside of tanks. Leave it full and it will rust much slower. Example, a ship hull will rust and wear faster at the water line than below, because the air gets to it, as well as the water. In northern climates we have to winterize them by draining them, but don't do it during the season.

We spend over 6 months in Az each winter so I drain and flush out the white crud that builds up and this time after getting home I soaked the complete water system in vinegar for 3 days and flushed the system.
chevman

Because we spend winters in Texas or Arizona,hard water areas, I drain it and check the annode every year. I went 3 years when we first started traveling,the annode was just about gone. It's not much of a chore,but I'll have to say that I agree with the OP's dad.