Flushing Your Water Heater

Every two to three years, water heaters build up mineral deposits in the tanks that could lead to lower efficiency or even failure. A simple cleaning can help with this problem and possibly extend the life of your water heater. A little preventive maintenance can go a long way in this case.

To flush water heater you first need to make sure all electrical power is off going to the heater, and cut off the cold water supply going to the heater. You can do this by removing the fuse in the fuse box or pulling the circuit breaker in the breaker box that goes to the heater itself. It is always safe to double check with a tester to make sure there is no electricity at the water heater. On gas heated models the gas doesn’t have to be turned off.

Next you will find a drain cock or faucet located at the bottom of the water heater. Attach a regular garden hose to this faucet and run it to a drain or outside of the house where you can drain the water from the tank. This water is safe so there are no environmental issues to deal with.

Before you actually begin draining the water from the tank remember that the water is still going to be hot, caution is a must. When you are ready to drain, simply open the pressure relief valve on the top of the heater and turn the faucet to the open position. Water should then be freely flowing. After a few minutes, catch some of the water in a jar or bucket and let it sit and settle for a little while. If the water is clean your job is almost done, if not flush a little more until it is clear with no signs of sediment.

Once you have clear and clean water flowing you can then turn off the faucet and remove the water hose. Next, close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank and turn the water supply back on and let the tank fill up. When the tank is full again you can slowly open the pressure relief valve to let out all the excess air inside. Once this is done close the pressure relief valve. You now know how to flush a hot water heater.

When all is said and done, don’t forget to turn back on the circuit breaker or put the fuses back in, you can soon enjoy your hot water once again.