It is the reason we get to have hot showers in the morning. It also helps heat water when we wash dishes. It has a big responsibility in the household, but is often forgotten. Water heaters consume almost 20 percent of the household heating budget. Despite the lofty bill that comes with them, they are usually ignored until they break. Therefore, it is important to not let this heating device go by the wayside; instead perform regular maintenance to keep your water heater in tip-top-shape. We reached out to our facilities experts to learn steps for flushing sediment out of your tank water heater to keep it running more efficiently.
Materials needed:
- Garden hose
- Sturdy bucket
Steps for flushing the sediment out of your water heater:
- Turn the hot water heater’s thermostat to the “off” position.
- If you have a gas heater, the thermostat knob will be found at the bottom of the tank and will be labeled with three settings: “on,” “off,” and “pilot.”
- Electric waters heaters will need the power supply turned off on the home’s breaker box.
- Turn off the cold water supply valve.
- The cold water shut-off valve is located near the top of the tank. To fully close the valve, rotate clockwise, making sure to turn the valve past stop.
- Allow the water to cool before draining.*
- It takes 2 to 3 hours for the water in the tank to cool, but for quicker results run the hot water tap in either a sink or bathtub for several minutes to drain the existing hot water.
- Twist the hot water knob on a faucet in a sink or bathtub to the open position.
- This prevents a vacuum from forming and reduces the possibility of water getting trapped in the pipes.
- Secure the garden hose to the drain valve, located at the bottom of the heater.
- If you don’t have a garden hose, a sturdy bucket can be used to catch the water underneath the drainage valve.
- Extend the garden hose to a place where the water can safely drain.
- This can either be in buckets, an outside drain, or down your driveway.
- Open the spigot and allow the water to drain.
- If needed, slightly open the pressure-relief valve, usually found on the top of the unit. But be careful not to release it too much, as it might be difficult to manage.
- Test the water by filling a bucket and letting it sit a few minutes.
- Do this after some of the water has drained to test if the water is cloudy and to see if sediment settles on the bottom. If the water appears to be clear, the tank is has been fully flushed. However, if sand-like material is still found or the water is discolored, turn on the cold water supply to allow more water to fill the tank. Once it is partially filled, drain again. Repeat the process until the water is clear of sediment.
Steps for completing the process:
- Close the drain valve and remove the garden hose.
- If you opened the pressure-relief valve during the cleaning, close it.
- Turn off the water on the sink or bathtub that was turned on in the beginning.
- Turn the cold water supply back on.
- Once the tank is full, slowly reopen the pressure-relief valve to allow excess air to escape. After the compressed air has exited, close the pressure-relief valve again.
- Return to the sink or bathtub faucet and turn on for 30 seconds to one minute to let the air out of the pipes, then turn it off.
- Turn the gas back on by turning the valve to the “on” position or flip back on the breaker switch for an electrical water heater.
- On a gas water heater, the pilot light will need to be relit if the flow of gas was turned completely off.
- Wait about 20 to 30 minutes for the water to warm. Turn on the hot water faucet on the sink to ensure that hot water is coming out.
*Not allowing the water to cool before draining can lead to serious injury and burns. Please use caution.