If you want your water heater to last for years to come, then you will want to make sure that your water heater gets flushed every 12 to 36 months based on the source of its water and on its model. Here the steps that will help guide you on how to properly flush your water heating equipment:
1.) If you have a heater that runs on electricity, then turn off its cold water supply, fuses or circuit breaker and the source of its power. Then, turn on its valve (pressure) or its closest faucet.
2.) Look for the valve under the heater or its drain cock and connect a garden hose to it.
3.) Place the end of the garden hose in an open area for the water to flow freely into a pail or bucket.
4.) Now, open the pressure or relief valve and the drain cock for the water to come out of the heater. Just make sure that the water doesn’t flow quickly.
5.) Get a pail that would receive all the water from the heater. Just continue draining water from the equipment until it is free from any foreign object and until it is totally crystal clear.
6.) Return the cover of the drain dock and carefully get the garden hose from the dock. You can ask somebody to help you out in performing these tasks if you are about to do them for the first time.
7.) If the relief/pressure valve is still open, then make sure that it gets closed as well.
8.) Fill the tank with water again by turning on its power supply. Open the relief/pressure valve once the tank is full and already has an equalized pressure. Close the valve after eliminating the compressed air from the tank.
9.) Don’t forget to return the cover of the water heater drain.
10.) Now, you would have to fully turn on the hot water switch on your bath tub. After that, turn on the circuit breaker as well. Never touch your circuit breaker if you still haven’t tested the hot water switch yet.
11.) For the 11th step, you would have to turn off the tub spigot. This step is necessary because you would need to have a silent atmosphere to proceed to the next step.
12.) Now that you have a quiet surrounding, listen attentively to the sound of your water heater. Is it working the way it should be?
13.) If your equipment does make an operational sound, then wait for half an hour before you turn on again the hot water switch on your bath tub.
Additional Tips:
To prevent your water heater from acquiring too much sediment, consider putting a filtration system (whole-house) inside it. Always use a garden hose when getting water from your water heater.
Caution:
Working with the drain cock can be a crucial task so better contact a plumber if you need further assistance.