Flushing Tank-Type Water Heaters Without Creating A Mess!

Sedimentation can cause a ruckus in day-to-day hot water supply. Water heater manufactures, therefore, recommend flushing it out from time to time.

How often should you do it? It depends on the model installed in your home, and the quality of water supplied in your area. If the water has high mineral content, you will need to flush it more often.

Ignoring it will mean allowing the buildup to affect the heater’s sufficiency. This means less hot water, even in winters!

For most people, flushing the water heater means creating a huge mess. But a few precautions can save you time without messing up the whole place.

• First, shut off the water heater. You don’t want a scalding mishap. For a gas-powered tank heater, you should switch it to ‘pilot’ position. For electric ones, turn off the switch that connects it to electricity.
• Let it cool down before continuing. Ideally, there should be a drain nearby. If not, you can use a garden hose to drain the water outside your home.

• Pick a hose long enough to attach with the heater and get to the place you intend to drain it. Use a set of pliers to make sure it’s tightly attached to the heater. This will reduce the mess.

• Open the temperature/pressure relief valve. Next, open the water heater drain valve. Again, you may have to use a pair of pliers as the valve is rarely used.

• If you’re draining it outside, collect some of it into a bucket. Inspect its color to see if the heater has sediments.

• Sediments may clog up the drain valve. Try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve to flush the sediment out.

• If sediments have hardened up in large chunks, they will block the drain valve. Remove the garden hose and the valve, if necessary. Break up the clog with a screw driver. Reconnect the hose for draining.

• Allow water to run out until the hose runs clear. Close the heater valves and turn on a hot water faucet somewhere in the house. Let the faucet run until no bubbles come out.

• Reconnect the heater and turn it on. Enjoy clean, hot water for a long time to come.

Perform regular maintenance to ensure your water heater keeps functioning. If it doesn’t work properly, even after flushing and maintenance, call our expert technicians for Boca Raton FL water heaters repair. From repairs to new water heater installation, our plumbing experts can do it all!