Has your water heater been spouting out lukewarm water, or has it been making strange noises? If the answer is yes, you might want to flush your water heater. Your water heater needs regular maintenance like any other piece of equipment. Over time, mineral or salt deposits build up at the bottom of your water heater making it less efficient and running up your electric bill. But don’t worry, because flushing your water heater is easier than you think.
Here’s a quick guide to teach you how to flush a water heater in quick and easy steps so you can get all the hot water you need.
Why Does Your Water Heater Need Flushing
Sediment in the form of minerals makes your water heater work harder. Even then you might find that your water is not hot enough or might hear weird noises coming from the heater. Flushing your water heater basically means pouring out all that sediment and getting the inside of the water heater sparkly clean. By regularly flushing your water heater you will improve the performance of your water heater and add years to its life. Flushing your water heater once a year should be enough, unless you get hard water which means you might want to do it more often.
Simple Steps to Flush Hot Water Heater
1- Turn It Off
Safety is paramount! The first step is to turn off your water heater to prevent any rude shocks, literally. If you have an electric heater, make sure you switch off the circuit breaker. In case of a gas-powered water heater, you’ll want to turn its setting all the way down to “pilot” to stop the heating elements from coming on when you’re draining the water.
2- Turn Off the Water Supply
The next step is to turn off the cold-water inlet that feeds the tank. Locate the water supply valve on top of the water heater and keep turning it clockwise until it’s fully closed and the water is off. This will allow you to flush the heater easily without wasting water.
3- Fix a Pipe or a Hose to the Drain Valve
Now that you have prepped the water heater, it’s time to begin flushing out the grime preventing it from working efficiently. Locate the drain valve at the bottom of the heater’s tank and attach your regular garden-variety hose to this valve. This is an important step because you don’t want the sediment flowing all over your floors. That’s why the other end of the hose should lead outside, or preferably into a drain, because the water will be hot and messy. Make sure the hose is latched on tight so that it carries the water and sediment all the way out of the tank without leaking onto any unwanted surfaces.
4- Release All That the Pressure
Here’s another important step before you begin to flush your hot water heater. Don’t forget that water heaters build up pressure and flushing the heater without releasing some of that pressure could be dangerous. So, here’s how you do it. You will find the pressure relief valve near the top of the heater. Make sure you open it carefully, allowing the air to flow into the tank very slowly while releasing the vacuum inside the tank. This step will also make it easier for you to drain out the water faster.
5- Drain the Water Heater
Now it’s time to open the drain valve by turning it counterclockwise and letting the water flow into the hose and then out into a safe place. If there is a lot of sediment and mineral build-up in the water heater’s tank, you will notice that the water is discolored or cloudy at first. Don’t worry, it’s quite normal. It just means that the sediment is leaving the tank. Be patient as it could take anywhere from 10 to half an hour for the tank to empty out completely. To make sure the sediment has drained out fully, dip and then gently tap the end of the hose in a bucket. Check if there is still debris or if the water is clear.
6- Flushing the Tank
Now that you have drained the tank, you need to rinse it well with clean and fresh water. Think of it like cleaning a really large pot with clean water when you are doing the dishes. Remember the water supply valve you turned off earlier? Find it again and turn it back on gradually, letting the cold water flow into the tank and then out the drain valve, taking out any residual sediment with it. Slowly increase the amount of water flowing into the tank and continue flushing the tank until the water coming out of the hose is clear, and then turn off the inlet valve.
7- Final Step: Refill and Turn It Back On
Voila! Your water heater’s tank is clean and ready to be plugged back in. Now turn off the drain valve and disconnect the hose you’d attached earlier. Next, begin refilling the tank with cold water. Turn the water supply valve back on and let the tank refill. Do not forget to close the pressure relief valve. Once the tank is full, you can turn the gas (set the thermostat to its normal setting) or power (switch on the circuit breaker) back on. Give it some time, and soon your water heater will be gushing out hot water for you again.
Closing Thoughts
Cleaning out your water heater and flushing out all that muck may not be the most glamorous task, but it’s important if you want your heater to perform well, and last you a long time without padding up your utilities bill. Besides, it’s an easy enough task and needs to be done only a couple of times a year. Now that you know how to flush a water heater, do not hesitate to give your heater a good flush. Your future self—and your wallet—will thank you! With these simple tips for basic plumbing in Oakland, your future self, and your wallet, will thank you.