Water heaters play an important role in providing hot water and comfort to your home. A water heater needs to be flushed once a year to avoid and control the build up of mineral deposits in them. Flushing a heater will increase its lifespan and help it operate more effectively. Here are the steps you need to take to properly flush a water heater.
Draining Steps
Step One: Locate your breaker/fuse Box. They are almost always located in the garage.
Step Two: Turn off the circuit or fuse that controls the water heater’s power.
Step Three: Turn off the cold water supply. The cold water valve is located on top of the water heater.
Step Four: Turn the hot water in your sink or tub to drain any remaining hot water in your pipes and prevent vacuuming.
Step Five: Attach a draining hose to the drain cock or valve located at the bottom of the heater.
Step Six: Place the hose to a place or area where the water from the heater can be drained safely.
Step Seven: Open the drain cock to let the water exit the heater.
Step Eight: Fill a bucket with water to see if the draining water is getting rid of any sand or sediment.
Finishing Steps
Step One: Close the drain cock and remove the hose.
Step Two: Turn the water supply on and wait for the tank to fill up.
Step Three: Close the water heater and open hot water tap to let air out of the pipes.
Step Four: Turn the water supply back on and wait for the hot water to start running again
Step Five: Wait for the hot water to be full and turn on the power to the circuit breaker