Rust, lime scale and other debris can build up in an RV's water heater. Left alone, this can shorten its useful life. Simple annual maintenance and care of your RV's hot water system will save you money by extending the life of the heater.
Since we have a Suburban water heater, we're borrowing a friend's RV to demonstrate how to flush an Atwood heater.
Only a few simple items are required, including a wrench to remove the drain plug, a tank flush wand, and some white vinegar (1/2 gallon for every gallon of tank capacity). If you have a Suburban brand water heater, be sure to have a new replacement anode rod on hand as well.
The small amount of time required to do this simple but essential maintenance will pay for itself with years of extra service from your RV's water heater.
Watch our video on flushing a Suburban RV water heater here.
We also have a video follow-up about Suburban anode rods here.
We don't pretend to be experts on any particular RV topic, and mostly know about maintaining our own rig. But many systems are the same on different RVs. The advice we give works well for us, but be sure to consult a professional technician if you're unsure about working on your own RV.
It is not a "hot water heater" it is a "water heater." Why would you want to heat water if it is already hot?
ReplyDeleteGlad I have an Atwood instead of Suburban. No anode rod to deal with and I can use a Hott Rod in my LP only heater to save propane.
ReplyDelete