Winterizing Question

I did the Drain and winterize today, I have a few questions

1 The directions stated that when draining the WH up to 2 Gal. of water will remain in the tank. It also goes on to say that you should flush out the WH with clean water to remove any deposits. then reinstall the plug. The remaining water should not be a problem. If it freezes it will have room to expand

What I did.....I "flushed out the WH with the pink stuff. Bypassed the WH with the valves. Then reinstalled the plug. I would estimate a Gal. of pink stuff was pumped into the WH.

I'm concerned about the effects of the Pink stuff on the aluminum tank.
Should I have reinstalled the plug?

I also drained the clean water tank...Should I leave the bottom drain open or closed for the season.

My last question I flushed out the black and grey tanks. Will it hurt to add a treatment pack to the black tank?

You will regret the antifreeze in the wh the first time you fire it next spring. I learned the hard way when I forgot to open the bypass valve while winterizing. ;D Put the plug back in, it will keep insects and rodents out when the weather warms. The tank is not aluminum, antifreeze won't hurt it. Open the fresh water drain and forget about it, close if you prefer. Add waste water treatment if you like.

Where did you read that there will be 2 gallons of water left in the tank. I would question that. I would think 2 cups would be more like it.
I also will think you'll be sorry for putting pink stuff in the heater tank. Any sediment in the bottom will act like a sponge and suck it right up.
I would put the anode back in but leave it loose in case more fluid reaches the tank. It will have a chance to drain out.
Same with the fresh water tank, close the valve but leave it open just a little just so critters don't have a chance to get in there.

The pink anti-freeze isn't going to hurt either the water heater or fresh water tank, but it can be an ordeal to flush it out next year. Once they are drained, there is room for any remaining water to expand when it freezes, so there is no need for antifreeze.

You'll need to use plenty of water the flush out the water heater in the spring to remove the antifreeze, but the bleach used to sanitize the system afterwards will kill the taste.

Black water chemicas are  unnecessary while the tank is actually in use, and will certainly serve no purpose over the winter.

Roy M said:

You will regret the antifreeze in the wh the first time you fire it next spring. I learned the hard way when I forgot to open the bypass valve while winterizing. ;D Put the plug back in, it will keep insects and rodents out when the weather warms. The tank is not aluminum, antifreeze won't hurt it. Open the fresh water drain and forget about it, close if you prefer. Add waste water treatment if you like.

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Not sure if a good thing or a bad thing....But the tank is aluminum. (See attached pic) The lack of a anode rod concerned me so I started researching on line.

Rene T said:

Where did you read that there will be 2 gallons of water left in the tank. I would question that. I would think 2 cups would be more like it.
I also will think you'll be sorry for putting pink stuff in the heater tank. Any sediment in the bottom will act like a sponge and suck it right up.
I would put the anode back in but leave it loose in case more fluid reaches the tank. It will have a chance to drain out.
Same with the fresh water tank, close the valve but leave it open just a little just so critters don't have a chance to get in there.

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You are right it's not 2 Gals....The book states 2 quarts. (Memory is slipping)

This still seemed like a lot of water to be left in the WH.
Should I leave the Pink stuff as is? Or go ahead and flush it out now to avoid bigger problems later?

The clean water tank was drained at the low point and nothing was added to the tank. I have closed the low point

I'd leave the antifreeze in place - what's done is done.

Should I leave the Pink stuff as is? Or go ahead and flush it out now to avoid bigger problems later?

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As Happy says, what's done is done. The "bigger problems" would only be the taste and smell hanging around in your water system, and that can be done next spring just as well as right now, so it's your choice when you want to do that. It won't hurt anything just being there. It won't hurt you by drinking it either, but the water isn't as pleasant -- that's why most folks drain and bypass the water heater when winterizing, rather than letting the pink stuff in.

The antifreeze will not hurt anything, but you will not want the taste in the water next spring!

I suggest getting a water heater flush wand.  Next spring, use it to THOROUGHLY flush the tank.  Use the wand to "wash" the entire inside surface.  While the antifreeze is only on the bottom, "crud" can collect anywhere.  All of this water helps to flush the tank out.

As for freezing, look at the tank as a large square Tupperware container with a flat bottom.  If you put an inch or two or three of water in it, then freeze it, the ice expands upward, not outward and no damage is done.  Now consider the same test using only one cup of water.  That is what the water heater sees.

Thanks everyone......Things will stay as they are until spring.

I will have to either get the sprayer or maybe make one.

Gizmo100 said:

Thanks everyone......Things will stay as they are until spring.

I will have to either get the sprayer or maybe make one.

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https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-Cleanses-Sediment-Collects-11691/dp/B002XL2IBS

As to the effect of Pink on the tank.. The first winter I did what you did. NO HARM. tank lasted 12 years.

The stuff is mostly non-reactive.  Next year just drain the tank and blow blow blow the lines out.  No need for any pink in the fresh system. Pink in drains and toilets but just air in the fresh system. 

I also got rid of the water that remained in the fresh tank after draining. (Created a siphon)

Rene T said:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-Cleanses-Sediment-Collects-11691/dp/B002XL2IBS

Click to expand...

For $8 bucks I will have to order this....That's cheap enough and no headache,,,LOL

John From Detroit said:

As to the effect of Pink on the tank.. The first winter I did what you did. NO HARM. tank lasted 12 years.

The stuff is mostly non-reactive.  Next year just drain the tank and blow blow blow the lines out.  No need for any pink in the fresh system. Pink in drains and toilets but just air in the fresh system. 

I also got rid of the water that remained in the fresh tank after draining. (Created a siphon)

Click to expand...

My pump has a bypass to allow me to pump the pink in to the lines and not have to put anything into the fresh tank.

The fresh tank has it's own low point drain. I opened it, allowed it to drain, Then left it slightly opened to bleed any condensation.

I considered blowing out the lines but felt this was safer for our trip to North/Central Arkansas. Temp's for the next few weeks are showing in the teens.