Every homeowner knows how important it is to clean and maintain your systems and appliances. However, many homeowners don't know that flushing a water heater every year can remove a build-up of sediment from the bottom of the tank.
After you've drained your hot water tank, you can pour a gallon or so of vinegar through it. To ensure the tank gets a thorough soak (try for 6 hours), close the drain valve before introducing the vinegar. Before you restore power to the unit, flush all the vinegar out. Keep it at the right temperature.
Tip: The build up of sediment in the tank can reduce your water heater's energy efficiency and also clog your water lines. Avoid these problems and increase the life of your unit by flushing your water heater every six months.
Believe it or not, homeowners should drain sediment from their natural gas water heaters once each year. Forgetting this simple task could result in sediment build-up, which reduces the heating efficiency of your water heater and could increase your natural gas bill.
Diminished or Inconsistent Hot Water Supply
Excessive sediment can also cause your water temperature to fluctuate wildly and become too hot at times. Sediment buildup can even affect your utility bills by forcing your water heater to work harder and consume more energy.
Depending on which water heater drain pump you use you can empty a 50 gallon water heater tank within 2-1/2 to 10 minutes instead of waiting for the water heater to drain by gravity.
As a homeowner, you take many steps to keep your family as safe and secure as possible. Draining your water heater can help ensure that everything is working properly (and safely). So, it really is necessary to flush a water heater regularly — especially if you want to avoid a larger issue down the line.
Shut off your water heater's water supply. This is the cold water line that goes into the top of your water heater. It's important to wait for the water inside the water heater to cool before flushing as it can remain scalding hot for a long time.
Expect a pro to charge you between $75 and $200 to come to your home to flush your water heater, depending on where you live. While this cost deters many homeowners from performing this annual maintenance, it can extend the water heater's lifespan by years, making it worth the additional cost.
Most homes need to have sediment traps installed on the gas piping supplying water heaters and furnaces. This section of the plumbing code has been changing in the last few code cycles, creating some confusion.
Again, JELMAR DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF CLR IN A WATER HEATER.
Simply mix hot water with laundry detergent powder or liquid to make a cleaning solution. Scrub the inside of the tank. Use a bristle brush or abrasive sponge to scrub the inside of the tank, with or without your cleaning solution.
Vinegar. Since the majority of hard water is calcium, it is highly reactive with acids like vinegar. Place small fixtures that are covered in buildup into a bowl of hot, all-natural vinegar to dissolve the calcium deposit in about an hour.
Hard water also leaves a sediment layer across the bottom of the tank. This lowers the efficiency of the water heater and can cause bills to skyrocket. Although flushing the tank removes this sediment, it still isn't something you want happening all the time.
Ideally, you should hire a professional plumber to come service your water heater at least once a year.
As this sediment builds up it can slow the heat transfer between the burner or electric heating element and the water. It can also break off and lodge itself into the heat-out or dip tube, causing blockages. Flushing your water heater annually can remove this sediment and slow this process down significantly.
So if you're in a family of four, a 50-gallon water tank should cover all those showers and washings. Another number to calculate when buying a new water heater is the First Hour Rating (FHR).
Open a hot water faucet somewhere in the house. Open the water heater drain valve (beware of hot water!). Flush 3 to 4 gallons, then close the valve (if draining, continue until empty).
During the water heating process, naturally-occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium form into sediment particles that settle to the tank bottom. When sediment builds up, you'll start to experience issues like: Fluctuating water temperatures from too hot to lukewarm.
If you've noticed sand or dirt clogging your faucet aerators, or your home's water and ice is looking a bit dirty or murky, then it's likely you have sediment in your water. While this can be a nuisance to deal with, the greater concern is its impact on your plumbing and water-using appliances.
By running the cold water for 40 minutes, you ensure that it flows through the hot waters pipes and flushes the sediment out through the water heater drain hose. Repeat these steps with all other water connection, such as the laundry connection. At this time, you can remove the plugs from the faucet and garden hose.