How To Flush a Water Heater

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

Flushing a water heater can resolve many minor issues

While every homeowner knows a water heater is essential to daily routines, few understand how resilient these appliances are. Too many people assume when hot water is no longer coming from the system that the heater is done, but that is not the case. Many minor issues can be resolved by flushing the system. To flush the system, you will need to follow a simple process and gather the necessary tools.

• Screwdriver
  
• Hose
  
• Drainage area
  

3 Steps to Flush a Water Heater

1. Turn of the Appliance

Before starting the water heater flush process, you will need to turn off the appliance. Do you have a gas or electric heater? If you have a gas system, you need to shut the gas valve and ensure the pilot is off before continuing. With an electric system, go to the circuit breaker box and flip the appropriate switch.

2. Drain the Tank

With the power off, you can connect the hose to the water heater. Before opening any valves, uncoil the hose and place the drainage end into your designated area outside. Then, to help empty the tank faster, turn on a nearby sink faucet, only the hot water supply. When ready, turn the flushing valve and the supply valve, allowing the water within the tank to flow out through the connected garden hose without refilling.

3. Resupply Water and Power

Once the tank is empty, which you will know from the lack of flow through the hose and the spatter of water from the sink, you can close the flushing valve and remove the garden hose. When ready, close the flushing valve and reopen the supply. With the tank full, go ahead and turn the power or gas back on.

If you run into any issues, do not hesitate to ask for help. There are several mitigation services in Blackfoot, ID, who can help fix your system.
A water heater is more resilient than many homeowners think. Do not assume the worst when the appliance acts up. Instead, try flushing the system.