Drain valve leaking, water too hot

This important part is right at the end, you have a well!! It sounds like you may have run it dry? Check the well and the pump first. The rest is stop valves and pipes to the tank and beyond and not likely to be causing issues. Your sediment issues and problems with the anode is also due to using well water which is nearly always loaded with minerals..

It sounds like you have a scale problem which can seriously affect your water flow. If the water heater is older than 10 yrs, then this may be your problem.
If so, try draining the htr. First off, turn your heater off. If electric, turn off 30 amp two-pole breaker in your elec panel. Your elements may also be scaled up, thereby reducing their effectiveness. If you have little hot water, your bottom element and t-stat may be bad. If the electric heater is older than 10 yrs old, then you may want to consider replacing it as the average lifespan of a heater is about ten years. If gas, just turn the control knob all the way down. Attach a garden hose to your heater drain valve. Run the hose outside and open the drain valve with the water supply to the htr still on. This uses water pressure to blow out the scale that is likely clogging the drain valve. Blow it out for ten seconds, and then shut the valve feeding water to the htr.
Shutting the valve creates a vacuum so the draining will slow way down. To speed this up, turn on hot water all around the house. Do not do this with single handle faucets because cold water will cross over. Only the hot on two handle faucets should be opened.
If you don't have any two handle faucets, you can either turn off the water main and open the single handle faucets, or flip the lever up on the relief valve located on top or on the side near the top. Pull it so that it sticks straight out. This locks it in the open position and allows air to enter, and water to exit. Drain until no more water comes out.
Please keep in mind that if your heater is old, the scale may be the only thing keeping it from leaking, and this may expose that leak.
If none of this works, your inlet and/or outlet on the heater may be scaled up. This requires the removal of piping and scraping out the scale. Once again, if the htr is old, (over 10) you may want to consider just replacing it.
GOOD LUCK!

Replacing a water heater is no very difficult if you follow the steps.
1. If it is electric turn of the breaker and check to be sure it is the right breaker. If it is gas turn off the valve close to the water heater.
2. Turn off both the hot water and cold water valves
3. Drain all water out of the heater.
4. Disconnect the electric wiring if electric and if gas disconnect the gas line.
5. Disconnect both water lines which may have to be cut depending on how they are connected.
6. Now you can remove the water heater and discard.
7. Place new heater where old one was removed and reconnect both water lines and be sure you have a new pressure valve installed on the water heater.
8. At this point you can turn on water and check for leaks. you should also open a hot water faucet to purge the air out.
9. If no leaks go ahead and hook up the electric or gas lines and if gas is used turn it on and check for leaks using a leak detector or a spray bottle of soapy water and look for bubbles. If no leaks you can go ahead and light the heater according to its instructions.
10. If electric is used turn it on.
11. Take a long hot shower.

http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-is-tripping-breaker.html

Gene
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If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-is-tripping-breaker.html

Gene

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

1) Copy following link for troubleshooting newly installed electric water heater:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html#new

2) Push in rest button on upper thermostat.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

If you mean the drain valve, then buy garden hose cap at home center.
Cap will have rubber washer that seals tank.
If drain valve is plastic, the cap may not thread on without sanding down end of plastic drain valve.
Otherwise replace drain valve, which is simple if drain valve is brass, but can be difficult if drain valve is plastic.
Turn off power to water heater: Electric: turn off circuit breaker. Gas: turn knob to pilot.
Turn off water, open bathtub spigot on Hot side, drain water heater, remove drain valve with wrench.
If plastic drain valve breaks while being removed, then 'gently' break out broken part using hammer and big screwdriver.
Buy new drain valve at box store in water heater department.
Put teflon tape on new drain valve threads.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-is-leaking.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-will-not-drain.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html

Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

Sounds like the TP valve is releasing water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-leaking.html

To protect your property right now, turn off water heater:
Gas: turn gas valve to pilot so pilot light stays lit but burner will not turn on.
Electric: flip circuit breaker off

Next turn off water valve located on cold water line above water heater.
Last, open tub faucet to relieve pressure on tank.
Once pressure is off after a few moments, close tub valve.

The question is why is the TP valve releasing water.

1) Stuck TP valve: raise lever on TP valve and let back down slowly

2) bad TP valve: replace TP using same temp-pressure rating available from hardware store. Wrap teflon tape around threads and screw new TP valve clockwise until very tight. Make sure water is cool before removing valve from water heater. If you take out valve when water heater is hot, it will spew scalding water all over you. This is serious. Let the water cool down for several hours.

3) Runaway heating caused by bad thermostat
Gas: buy replacement valve at Lowes or plumbing store and replace according to instructions.
Electric: several causes. Test parts to determine which needs replacement.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html


More support:

a) Fixya offers phone support where you speak with a fixya expert on telephone for a fee.
You can use this service if you hit a trouble spot when repairing your tank.

b) You can also call a plumber who will know exactly what to do.

c) You can post questions at a professional plumbing forum:
http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com/forums/forum3/

12 year old water heater is getting near the end.
Some tanks last 20 years, but that's the exception.
To find exact age of your brand water heater:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/WaterHeaterSerialNumberDecoder.pdf

Leaking TP valve:
1) Lift TP lever and gently lower back into position to see if that stops leak.
Occasionally something gets stuck in the valve.
2) Sometimes water heater temperature gets turned up because heater is not producing as much hot water as before, and higher temps cause TP to release pressure because of overheating.
Dial temperature down to 120 degrees.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-adjust-water-heater-temperature.html

3) If steps above don't fix problem, replace TP valve >> TP valves have 125 or 150 degrees rating >>> older tank shouldn't be running above 125 because higher temps cause more pressure on tank, so thermostat should be lower than 125 degrees TP rating.
Buy replacement TP at any hardware store + a roll of teflon tape to seal pipe threads.
Turn gas control to pilot ... this will keep pilot lit but burner will not fire.
Let water cool, and then drain some water out of tank.
If TP valve is on side of tank, then open drain on side of tank and drain water until it is lower than valve level. Open bathtub spigot to let air into line.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-will-not-drain.html
Be careful around water that is higher than 120 degrees F >> you can get burned quickly >> apply cold water to any burn.
Use pipe wrench and unscrew TP valve counterclock-wise.
Install new TP and put teflon tape on threads.
Re-fill tank completely and open tub valve on hot side until water is running >> then turn gas control back to original position.
Do not fire up any water heater before tank is completely full of water or this could damage tank.

To read more preventative information about water heater leaks and age problems:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-at-bottom-of-water-heater.html

If the lower heating element burns out the upper element will heat the top part of the tank then shutoff. homw depot/lowes etc should carry elements. 1 turn off breaker, remove element access cover (the 2 panels on the front of the heater) test for electricity at the reset button ( uppermost device in upper panel) to make sure power is off. 2 turn off water (I usually turn off the cold water main to stop water cross feeding into hot supply line back into heater) 3 disconnect the 2 wires on the lower element, test with continuity tester. shhould be no continuity between terminals and tank, but around 10 ohms between the 2 terminals. Check the thermostat for continuity if tank is cold thermostat should be closed ie zero ohms across the 2 terminals.
If stat is bad replace stat; disconnect wires push it up out of the spring clip insert new stat reconnect. If element is bad: drain tank. connect garden hose to tank drain valve, open tank drain valve turn water main on to clear rust sediment and get water flowing. Next remove filter screen from a hot water faucet then turn on ( a hot faucet upstairs or higher than tank drain). Now turn water main off, air will now go in through hot faucet and tank will drain, takes about an hour. Use a water heater element wrench about$10 to remove element(s) make sure no bits of rubber gasket are left in element opening- dig em out with a screwdriver if needed. Insert new element with its gasket and tighten. reconnect wires DO NOT TURN ON ELECTRICITY! BE SURE TO FILL WATER HEATER WITH WATER ! Turn water main back on -air will come out of the hot faucet for several minutes. When water runs without any air sputtering, turn off faucet and replace the faucet filter screen. check element(s) for leaks. turn breaker back on.