Flushing your water heater: the yearly hour that buys the tank years.
Minerals drop out of the water and settle at the bottom of every tank heater, right where the burner works. That layer sits between the flame and the water, so the burner runs longer to push heat through it and the bottom of the tank runs hotter than it was built for. A flush drains it out. It's an hour, mostly waiting, and the safety steps are most of the job.
How often should a water heater be flushed?
Once a year for a tank heater. Hard water or a well can justify twice: flush it, look at what comes out, and let that set the schedule. A tankless unit is a different job, descaled by pumping a cleaning solution through its service valves rather than drained through a hose.
What does sediment do to a water heater?
The scale sits right over the burner or the element, so the heater burns much harder to get heat through it. That wastes energy and wears down the tank lining. Left long enough, the bottom of the tank cracks and leaks.
How to tell a water heater needs flushing.
Listen while it heats, especially after a long shower. Popping or rumbling from the tank means water is trapped under the scale and boiling there. Hot water that runs out sooner than it used to, or takes longer to come warm, is the other sign.
How to flush a water heater yourself.
Shut off the gas or the breaker and close the cold supply valve at the top of the tank. Give the water time to cool first; what comes out of the drain can scald. Run a garden hose from the drain valve at the bottom to a floor drain or outside. Open a hot tap upstairs so the tank doesn't pull a vacuum, then open the drain valve and let it run until the water comes out clear of flakes.
When to hand it off.
A plastic drain valve that won't turn, or won't stop dripping once it's closed, is the moment to stop before the basement floods. A tank that hasn't been flushed in ten years is worth doing with care, because an old valve can clog or fail to reseal. Water heater flush is $— added to a plan or $— one-time, tank units of any size.
Or never think about the water heater again. Loaded drains it every spring as part of the plan. On Basic it can be added at $— a visit, spread across the monthly bill. Plans
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