Flush the Water Heater

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Flush the Water Heater

Flushing the water heater should be done twice a year or after a well system shock chlorination. Sediment will build up in the bottom of the water heater tank which decreases water volume and efficiency.

Shut off the electrical power or the gas to the water heater. Connect a garden hose to the lower drain valve of the tank. Run the free end of the hose to a nearby floor drain or outside. Keep the elevation of the hose below the drain spigot.

Close the cold-water feed valve to the water heater. Open a nearby hot water faucet. Open the lower drain spigot valve. Allow the water to flush from the tank. In many cases, 1-gallon of water will take approximately one-minute to drain. A 30 gallon tank will take about 30 minutes or more to completely empty.

Once the water heater has completely drained, open the cold water feed valve to flush any remaining sediment from the bottom of the tank. Let the water run for 15 minutes. Close the lower drain spigot and remove the garden hose.

Once a steady stream of cold water is emitting from the open hot water faucet, close the faucet. Re-apply electrical power to the heater or turn the gas back on to the unit following the manufacturers instructions.