Drain Hot Water how often

[Ksupaul]

How often do you drain your hot water heater? If you go 2-4 weeks inbetween trips? What if you only go a week inbetween? Curious thanks.

[busterbrown]

I don't think there is one good schedule for draining the HW heater.

It's accepted to drain it in the northern cold weather states for the obvious reasons of freeze.

Because it's a HOT water tank, I don't think the water is susceptible to mold and bacteria growth like fresh water tanks are. If your trips are planned monthly throughout your RV season, you should be fine without draining the tank.

An annual bleach cleansing is widely accepted at the beginning of each season. I've even read that some owners will disinfect their fresh water system more often if they tend to drink from it.

But in all reality, if bottled water is your drinkable water, an annual cleaning is all that's required.

Suburban makes HWH from a steel/porcelain material and include an sacrificial anode rode that mitigates corrosive action on the tank itself. Atwood tanks are lined with clad aluminum and do not require the rod. With this said, draining your hot water tank isn't a necessity between trips. The Suburban tank is the only one that a scheduled replacement of the anode rod is required (every 1-2 years I've read).

Hope this helps.

[flybouy]

The water itself (hardness, mineral content), ambient temps and time between uses all are factors so there is no 1 answer. Typically you will know when it's time as the hot water will take on a sulfur smell like rotten eggs. A GOOD water filter, not the $19 in line type, will help mitigate the issue. Personally, I keep an 1 1/16" socket and ratchet handy in the back of the truck and pull the plug when it's going to be longer than 2 weeks before using again. YMMV

[Dave W]

Our 10 gallon Atwood typically gets drained in the fall at winterization time. I did just add a CAMCO plug with a petc0ck so it could be done occasionally instead. Oh and not all drain plugs are 1-1/16 but 15/16 (Atwoods)