Help Hot Water Tank Leak

[borninblue]

Noticed a leak and tightened my stop drain plug and the head cracked off. Managed to get it out but not without damaging the threads inside the tank for the stop valve. Now I can’t put a plug in without it leaking. I’m assuming I need to rethread the inside of the water tank where the plug goes in. What size is this and I’m assuming I can get tool at local hardware store, I’m not the handiest but I need to fix it quick!

[Happy wife / happy life]

Have you tried thread tape ( Teflon tape )? I would be very careful trying to clean up the threads. Done wrong and I think you will be buying a new water heater.

[craigav]

Most plastic drain plugs will work even if the threads are not perfect, that is what I would try first. ~CA

[JFlightRisk]

The thread size of the drain plug is 1/2-14 NPT pipe threads. (NPT stands for National Pipe Thread). Look for a thread chaser as opposed to a tap, but a tap will work fine. The shorter the tool, the better. You might have an issue starting it straight because of the angle of the hole, the bottom of the housing, and the length of the tool. I can't say for sure since I've never tried it. Hopefully you'll get lucky.

Be careful, and most of all take your time getting it started squarely in the hole and go slowly. Hopefully you can get it started by hand before using a wrench to turn it in. You might do more harm if you try to rush it. Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

[borninblue]

Thank you everyone! I have a new plug and I’m going to try and thread with tape and then paste on top and see if it holds. Going to rethread as lost resort, seems dangerous from what everyone has said. Not trying to replace entire tank