VQ wrote:
Water Heater Mfr: American Water Heater Co
Model: G62-40T34-3N
Capacity: 40 gal, gas-heated, 34000 BTU/HR
Installed in 1998, Souther California, Very Hard Water, No Water
Softening system.
6 year Mfr warranty.
Never maintained.


Currently makes gurgling sounds (like marbles rolling around in tank)
when hot water faucet downstairs is turned on.
Is draining/flushing the water heater now (something that should have
been done every 6-12 months) a bad idea?


I can't imagine it would be a bad idea, although it may not help/cure
the problem (although it sure sounds like a sediment issue; it's hard to
get it all out of a neglected tank.)

I would buy a couple caps for garden hose fittings before you do this,
regular readers of this group will recall that I just replaced the drain
valves on all my water heaters with ball valves last month as the POs of
my house apparently never used the drain valves, and they all leaked
after they were opened. So I needed to cap them off to keep my basement
from getting all soggy In fact, you may wish to do the ball valve
thing anyway (use a 3/4" dielectric nipple, found in the water heater
section of your local Big Box, a 3/4" pipe thread ball valve, and a 3/4"
male pipe to garden hose adapter to make your own) as a ball valve
allows far greater flow than a spigot, for better flushing action.

more reading he

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag...r-heaters.html

At 6 yrs. you might want to check the anode as well; that's a typical
warranty period for a HWH so the anode may be due for replacement.

good luck

nate

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