[Shop-talk] Hot Water Heater 'Heat Trap'

[Jack Brooks]

> the tubes were made over 15 years ago.  I doubt many of those water
> heaters are still in service,

My water heater was in the "bad" diptube batch years.  The house is 17 years
old and the original water heater is going strong.  I've replaced the anode
and the dip tube.  

A good hardware store will stock the parts that will fit 95% of the water
heaters out there.  This simple maintenance will add years and years to the
live of your hot water heater.  Draining and flushing every year or three
will help a lot too, especially on a gas fired unit, as it gets all the
stuff off the bottom of the water heater and allow the heat to transfer more
easily.

Jack