Could Your Water Heater Use a Tune Up?

Most water heater manufacturers recommend draining & flushing your water heater tank once a year - or every 6 months in hard water areas. This helps remove sediment and minerals that collect on the bottom of the tank.

And it is a pretty good idea to periodically remove any gunge from the tank. This sediment "sludge" can cause a few problems like discoloration of your hot water and a reduction of the efficiency of your heater. The sediment can also react with the chlorine in the water to produce an unhealthy hot water supply.

Tip: Draining your hot water heater tank on a regular basis can save money and improve on the longevity of the tank.

If your hot water heater is old, it might be best not to drain it as this could cause problems with leaking at the drain spigot. Also, if sediment is a serious problem, you might need to consider steps to eliminate sediment from the house water supply.

The following advice comes courtesy of Maytag...

The steps to drain and flush the tank apply to both electric and gas hot water heaters:

1. Turn off the water supply to the heater.
2. Turn off the power to the heater at the main service entrance (circuit breaker or fuse box). Turn off the gas at the main supply line.
3. Place a water bucket or attach a garden hose (if a floor drain is available) to the drain valve of the heater which is positioned at the bottom of the heater. Run the other end of the hose into the floor drain.
4. Turn on a hot water faucet to allow air to replace draining water.
5. Open the drain valve and drain a few gallons of water from the heater tank. If you use a bucket to catch the water, turn off the water at the drain valve while emptying the bucket.
6. Close the drain valve and turn on the water supply while leaving a hot water faucet open. When water starts coming out of the faucet, the tank is full.
7. Repeat, as necessary, until water runs clear.
8. Turn on power/gas supply.

Could you use a visual? There's a video on This Old House website that might help.

If you're still not confident about attempting this yourself - or you just don't have the time - give us a call. We can drain and inspect your water heater for you.

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Boden Plumbing primarily serves Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and the Petaluma area. We provide a full range of residential plumbing repairs and services.
866-663-7477
www.nodrips.com