Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

2. I've seen "long life" immersion heater elements. Are they worth
bothering with?

Thanks!

Steve