You are so, so right. That's going to be the question, ten years from
now.

The WH, I've replaced. A couple I took off the drain valve with a BIG
hammer, and then the water ran out. One, I drilled several holes with
long drill bit. Right through the shell, fiberglas, and through the
tank. I figured since it was going into the trash, I dadn't have to
worry about damaging the tank.

I think my WH is GE brand. When it leaked (just short of the end of
warranty). They authorized the purchase price (about $200) towards the
new tank (about $400). I took it, but didn't really feel warm and
fuzzy about the matter. I'd have preferred a swap out at no cost to
me. Preferred or not, I took their terms. Having hot water is a good
thing, I think.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"TimR" wrote in message
...

I know the standard advice is to drain a bit out of the tank every
year to keep sediment from building up and hopefully prolong the life
of the tank. Basically, preventive maintenance.

The risk is every time you open that valve, you get sediment into it,
and the valve may leak.

Nobody I know actually does this, including myself. We all seem to
get the full lifespan out of a tank (provided the anode is correctly
installed.)

The problem you'll have is when replacement time comes, you can't
drain the tank through the valve. That thing is heavy when full of
water, you don't want to be dragging it out full. g I predict a
future question to this list, about 10 years from now. "how do I get
the tank empty so I can carry it up the basement stairs?"