Flushing a Hot Water Heater Step by Step

Heading into wintertime, it’s important to make sure all the heating implements in your house are functioning properly. This could include your central air heating, your fireplace, or your hot water heater. The water heater is the focus of this video, which outlines the importance of regular water heater maintenance.

Most drinking water has trace amounts of minerals that can build up as sediment in your water system. Proper flushing can remove this buildup before it can cake onto the parts and worsen its functionality.

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The most vital first step is turning off the heater. Like cooking an empty pot on the stove, heating the tank without the water can warp and even melt the metal, which will surely make your system degrade even faster. Electric and gas water heaters have different on/off components, so make sure you know what kind you have and where the shut-off is. Another important thing to know is if your water heater has a backflow preventer installed, which will stop air from getting in from a faucet as you need it to in this case. The goal is to create an open channel for a controlled amount of water to flow out of.

This kind of water heater maintenance isn’t always necessary, so make sure you do some research into what your heater’s needs are. And as always, if you aren’t 100% certain you can safely carry out a procedure, call a professional in to take care of it.

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