Hot Water Heater Maintenance Flush

While the water might be running clear and isn t brown you may still have some sediment.

Hot water heater maintenance flush.

Before you begin a water heater flush. Next rotate the water shut off valve on your heater clockwise to turn off the cold water supply. Attach the shop vacuum hose and fire up the vacuum. Then turn on a hot water faucet in one of your sinks or tubs to prevent a vacuum from forming in the lines.

To flush a water heater start by turning off the heater s power source using the breaker or thermostat. Shut off the gas or electricity to the water heater and open a hot water faucet and let it run full blast for about 10 minutes to reduce the water temperature in the tank. Most homeowners should flush their water heaters every six months or so but if you have extremely hard water you may want to do it more often. Let it run for a few minutes until the water exiting your hose runs clear.

A sediment trap or softener can help with hard water to a point. To flush your hot water tank simply turn on the cold water spigot leading into your hot water tank. As a general rule your tankless water heater should be flushed once per year to maintain efficiency. Remove the temperature pressure release valve and screw in the vacuum adapter.