Detailed walk through on how to drain and flush a gas or electric water heater.
Water heater flush hose.
Holdrite quickstrap 5 gallon universal stainless steel water heater expansion tank mounting bracket.
In electric water heaters the lower element can get buried in sediment which can cause it to work far too hard and consequently burn out.
So to keep your water heater in good working order it is generally recommended you flush the tank and perform all around maintenance about once a year.
To back flush a water heater you connect a hose between the drain valve and an outdoor faucet and squirt water back into the water heater through the drain valve.
Shut off the cold water valve at the top of the tank and attach a garden hose to the existing drain valve and route it to a floor drain.
Drain and flush it at least once a year fall is a good time and you can extend the length of your water heater s useful life to avoid the cost of replacement.
Makes it easy to flush a tankless heater.
Shut off the gas or electricity to the water heater.
Locate the water heater s drain valve typically found near the bottom of the tank.
Bucket pump and 2 hoses.
Your water heater will operate more efficiently and this will usually extend the life of the heater.
The flush kit connects easily to the tankless service valves.
Regular use helps maintain a healthy tankless water heater.
Turn off the cold water supply and allow the heater to cool this may take a couple of hours.
How to drain and flush a water heater.
If you do have a functioning softener you can get away with flushing once every couple of years but doing it more frequently isn t going to hurt.
The water in your heater and many of the pipes connected to your water heater will be very hot.
How to back flush a water heater.
This helps to control the buildup of mineral deposits.
You ll need a garden hose and a double female garden hose coupler available online for about 8 so you can connect two male threads together.
I show how i flush my water heater fro.
Flushing your water heater at least once per year is ideal particularly if you live in a region with hard water and don t have a softener.
If you don t.
Use this guide to flush your water heater.
Water heaters should be flushed every one to three years depending on the model and water source.
Once connected you can run a solution of water and vinegar to clean the heat exchanger of any scale deposits.
Drain water heater liquid.
How to flush a water heater.
Open a hot water faucet and let it run full blast for about 10 minutes to reduce the water temperature in the tank.
Before you tackle any service to the water heater turn off all of the electricity to the unit including the breaker.