Flushing a sediment-laden hot water tank -- a plan I'd like peer-reviewed, please?

[surrealone]

I have water with high calcium and magnesium levels, and I prefer the minerality of it, so I didn't add a water softener when I bought this house. Sadly, this means I get sediment build-up in my hot water tank as well as on my fixtures. I clean the fixtures, no issue there, but the tank is a beast. The last time I flushed the tank it took FOREVER -- specifically because it was so sediment-laden I couldn't get decent flow out the drain port. That drove me so nutty that I haven't flushed it since ... so I know I'm overdue and this problem is likely far, far worse, now.

From the last flush I also know the janky, craptastic plastic hose bib at the drain port is part of my problem (i.e., no direct/straight path into the bottom of the tank) -- and that it needs to be removed and replaced with a nipple and ball valve for me to have any chance of flushing this system properly. That said, I'm fearful that it's become brittle with age and will likely break off when trying to remove it, so I'm thinking I should drain the tank PRIOR to removal and replacement. This concern informs my plan, which is as follows as a result of said concern:

Plan:

1. Shut off electricity to water heater and well pump.
2. Relieve hot and cold water pressure in the system.
3. Remove the anode (which I intend to replace anyway, as It's probably due).
4. Insert a transfer pump hose into the anode port and transfer all water I can out of the tank using a transfer pump.
5. Once most water is gone, remove gimicky plastic hose bib at drain port.
6. Replace plastic hose bib with a proper brass nipple and ball valve; close valve.
7. Install old anode temporarily.
8. Turn on electricity to well pump and purge air bubbles out of hot and cold lines, then close them.
9. Open ball valve over a bucket and make sure tank is airlocked.
10. Attach a turbo tank cleaner with hose to the ball valve and use it to flush the system until the tank sediment washes clean.
11. Remove turbo tank cleaner, close ball valve, shut off electricity to well pump, open hot and cold fixtures to relieve any pressure.
12. Remove old anode and replace with new one.
13. Turn on power to well pump, ensure air is out of system, and close hot and cold fixtures.
14. Call it a day after turning on power to water heater and cleaning up mess.

Would someone mind peer reviewing this? It feels overly complicated -- perhaps because of my worry about the breakage of the plastic drain port and hose connection (and the subsequent need to clean out the pipe threads with a Dremel, which I can only safely do if the water's been removed since it plugs into a wall socket.

Any advice on a better DIY way would be appreciated!

Surreal

P.S. Here's a turbo tank cleaner video for those unfamiliar with it (I haven't bought one yet -- plan comes first):

 

[Button Pusher]

Can you install a timed drain valve on the drain port so you don't have to drain it manually?

 

[surrealone]

I've heard of doing this for an air tank ... but never for a hot water heater. I'd be a bit worried about a failure during unattended drainage, especially as I'd need a sump pump to pump the water somewhere.

I guess I'm saying that even if automated draingage is possible, the amount of complexity added to the system seems high enough that I'd worry that it was more error/problem prone. (At least with manual drainage I have full control over how much water flows, when, and where.) It reminds me a little bit of networking, where BGP route flaps have caused more problems than I've seen the BGP protocol actually solve.

 

[GymB]

I don’t know how old this tank is, but if you snap off the valve while removing it you might be able to use a large screw extractor or maybe a coarse left hand threaded bolt to remove what’s stuck. Worst case a hacksaw blade, I wouldn’t drain the tank in order to use a dremel.

You could also install a filter and/or water conditioner on just the cold water line to the water heater. You probably don’t care too much about the hardness of your hot water.

 

[Clicker]

There is no way I would ever insert a metal auger into a water heater, seems like that's asking to damage the tank lining material. I have a 100 gallon NG powered WH at work that I service and the manufacturer recommends simply attaching a hose to the drain valve and to fully open the supply and let the tank drain itself. The inlet pipe is designed to swirl the water thus suspending the sediment allowing it to eventually drain.

This unit also has a huge 6" access port to vacuum out sediment. I would think you could also vacuum out yours through the drain valve port once it is removed.

 

[LizardKing]

I may have missed it in the OP but if you are replacing parts I would replace the pressure relief valve as well if it is the same age as the other components.

 

[surrealone]

There is no way I would ever insert a metal auger into a water heater, seems like that's asking to damage the tank lining material. I have a 100 gallon NG powered WH at work that I service and the manufacturer recommends simply attaching a hose to the drain valve and to fully open the supply and let the tank drain itself. The inlet pipe is designed to swirl the water thus suspending the sediment allowing it to eventually drain.

This unit also has a huge 6" access port to vacuum out sediment. I would think you could also vacuum out yours through the drain valve port once it is removed.

I suspect you're speaking of the turbo tank cleaner's 'agitator'. I had the same concern and planned only using very slow speed -- the purpose being solely to draw material into the device's auger (which remains outside the tank).
Here's what the manufacturer indicated in its FAQ on the matter:



There's no 6" drain port on my water heater, and fully opening the drain port last time (with the supply also open) just resulted in a trickle of water .. which I could accelerate by prodding using a bent coat hanger with some twists in it. Big chunks of calcium and magnesium came out of the tank each time I prodded with the hanger. That was after only one year of service, so I expect much, much worse this time since I put off the affair. Worst case, if I damage the water heater but manage to clean it, draining it for the purpose of installing a replacement should be a snap. Had I known the first time I flushed it what I know today, I'd have made some upgrades to make this job easier -- much as I plan to do this time around.

I'm trying to avoid replacement of the water heater, as it's only 8ish years old and looks to be in good shape externally. Inspection of the unit when drained will help me determine if a replacement is needed. Regardless of how I slice it, the unit HAS to be drained to be replaced, as it's on an elevated water heater stand from which it cannot be removed without being drained. Thus, I am going to be forced to clean it to completely drain it ... unless I just bore a hole in the bottom of it...

There's a rectifier and powered anode in my future regardless of whether it's this tank or a new one...

 

[surrealone]

Well, it's all moot. I dug through the closed-cell foam insulation to reach the (3" recessed within said insulation) head of the anode ... just to make sure I had a socket that was long enough and large enough for it. What did I find? Dampness around the anode's head...

So rather than try to clean this one throughly with a turbo tank cleaner (which I have yet to buy and, thus, won't buy), I'll just try backflushing it to loosen sediment enough to get it flowing and, worst case, do most of the emptying with a transfer pump ... as it's pretty clear it's time for a new water heater.

Best laid plans, and all that!