Getting all the water out of the water heater

[just_me]

When you drain your water heater, and get ready to winterize your rig, do you remove ALL the water out of the water heater? There is usually about 1/2 gal or so left in it. There will not be any damage to the water heater if not drained because there is room for the ice to expand. Hence the question, is it worth while to get all the water out?
Or it was never considered?

[robsouth]

Don't leave the drain plug out unless you want bugs in your hot water tank.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I do use a plastic tube to siphon as much water out of the heater as I can.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

I leave the pressure valve open and the drain plug out and I would think that evaporation would take care of the bit left in the tank as I usually winterize long before freeze up.

[darsben]

2oldman wrote:
no

Long version answer of no is; The remainder has sufficient room to expand in an otherwise empty vessel. The water will expand in the direction of least resistance and so expand harmlessly.

[RoyB]

I open the sink HOT WATER SPIGOT when doing the low point drain and this usually drains down the water heater with just a little bit of water left in the bottom of it.

Then I switch it out using my HW BYPASS valves..

I usually leave the high pressure valve opened at the top of the Hot Water Heater over the winter months.

We just drain our fresh water tank and do the Compressor method here for pushing out all of the water in the lines and then add some pink stuff to the P TRAPS. This is a great method for us as we can go camping again at a moments notice. Just re-fill the fresh water water tank and we are ready to go again. Only takes about ten minutes using the blow-out method for us.

We have done this camping in the mountains several times when the temp drop below freezing overnight.

Roy Ken

[2oldman]

no