It’s good practice to flush a water heater once a year. This simple task can improve the lifespan of your water heater, as well as other valuable benefits. Doing it takes no special tools, and is easier than you may think. In this article I will tell you everything you need to know about flushing a water heater.
Not every water heater needs to be flushed. A tankless water heater doesn’t require this task as it has no tank that can build up sediment. Some water heaters may need this task done more frequently than others. Consult your water heater’s manual to find out how often you should flush your water heater.
Skill Level: Beginner
Required Tools: Water Meter Key or Crescent Wrench; Garden Hose
What Flushing A Water Heater Means
The water heater is a large tank that cold water flows into, and gets heated up before going to other parts of your home. Over time sediment will deposit in the bottom of the tank over time. This happens because water has things like minerals that build up, causing problems for the home’s hot water supply.
Benefits of Flushing the Water Heater
Flushing the water heater is a good way to remove sediment from the tank. This process has benefits that it brings. The lifespan of the water heater will lengthen. You also will likely have less sediment in your water that can cause mineral build ups in places like the shower.
This process also increases the amount of available hot water that can be used. If it doesn’t take long for the water to get cold in the shower when someone uses the kitchen sink, chances are flushing the water heater might help with this problem.
Can I Flush a Water Heater Myself?
This is a household maintenance task that can be done by anyone with a basic knowledge of tools and how the home works. The process is a simple one that can be done in a few hours. You don’t need any special tools to do this either. It should be repeated once a year. Some water heaters benefit from more frequent flushings. Consult the manual to find out if this applies to your water heater.
What happens if you never flush a water heater?
Flushing a water heater is beneficial to the lifespan of the water heater, among other things. This means if it never gets flushed there are multiple problems that may arise.
Some of the problems are decreased lifespan of water heater, sediment clogging pressure release valve, and reduced water heater efficiency.
If you live in a house that hasn’t had their water heater yet, it’s okay to start doing the process. There is a good chance the sediment level may have clogged the drain valve. If this is the case, you can use the backflushing steps below.
How To Flush a Water Heater
Locate the cold water supply valve and shut it off. You will need a crescent wrench or a water supply key. This usually is near the street in a concrete box in the ground. Some homes have another one that’s located in the home.
First
Start by turning off the water to your house. This will shut off the water that flows into the water heater. If your water heater has a valve on the intake water you can shut it off here instead.
Second
Turn off the power to the water heater at the breaker box. Do this by locating the breaker its connected to and switching it off. You do not want the tank to heat up when it’s empty. This can cause damage to various componenets.
Third
Turn on the hot water at a faucet somewhere in your house. This will allow air to enter the line which is going to help the water flow out of the water heater tank.
Fourth
Hook up a garden hose to the spigot at the base of the water heater. Unravel the hose and put the other end outside. It should be downhill from the water heater, and somewhere the water can flow away.
Fifth
Open the valve allowing the water to flow out. If water does not flow it can mean there is sediment build up blocking the flow. This will need to be remedied.
Back Flushing The Water Heater
Back Flushing is a technique used to help release some of the sediment that is clogged at the opening of the water heater. When water doesn’t flow out of the heater during the flushing process, this will help fix the issue. It’s also a good way to loosen up the sediment more after the water heater is empty, releasing more sediment.
In addition to a garden hose, you will also need a female-to-female hose adapter. There will need to be a hose bib within reach of the water heater. A sink may work but an adapter to connect to the sink’s water supply will be required. Your home’s water should be turned back on for this procedure.
Step 1
Attach the hose to the faucet, and connect the adapter to the other end of the hose. Attach this end to the water heater.
Step 2
Open the valve at the base of the water heater that the hose is connected to.
Step 3
Turn on the hose water allowing it to flow into the bottom of the water heater. Listen to the flow for any changes or for it to stop. If stopped, remove and attempt to flush the water heater again.
Sixth
If the back flushing technique was required you can now go back to the fifth step listed above. The water should be turned off for this.
Now your water heater is successfully flushed. You can now close the drain valve and turn the water to your house back on. Allow the water heater to fill up and heat the water up before you have access to hot water in the home. This part of the process will happen automatically once you have water flowing back into the water heater.
Conclusion
Flushing a water heater is not hard. This is a process that can be done in a couple of hours, and doesn’t require any special tools. Follow the steps above to complete this annual maintenance task.
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You Got This,
Kevin
Kevin
I grew up in a family where my dad and several uncles were general contractors. They took me to the jobsites, and also taught me so much about home maintenance. I remember spending several summers in high school helping my father build houses. It gave me so much knowledge that I am excited to share!
