How to Flush Your Water Heater Step by Step
Flushing sounds intimidating if you have never done it, but it is one of the more approachable DIY maintenance tasks, provided you go slowly and follow the right order.
Before You Start
Turn off power to an electric unit at the breaker, or turn the gas control to pilot on a gas unit. Let the water cool for a couple hours if you have used hot water recently, since the water coming out of a fresh tank is hot enough to scald.
The Steps
- Close the cold water supply valve at the top of the tank
- Connect a garden hose to the drain valve near the bottom, running it to a floor drain or outside
- Open the drain valve and a nearby hot water tap to break the vacuum
- Let the tank drain fully, then briefly open the cold supply to stir up remaining sediment and drain again
- Close the drain valve, remove the hose, and refill the tank before restoring power or gas
Why San Antonio Homeowners Should Do This Twice a Year
SAWS reports local water hardness at 15 to 21 grains per gallon, hard enough that a once a year flush schedule, fine in cities with softer water, often is not enough here. We recommend every 6 to 12 months if you are doing it yourself.
When to Call a Professional Instead
If the drain valve will not open, if you have not flushed in more than two years and suspect hardened sediment, or if you are simply not comfortable working around your water heater’s valves, it is worth having a professional handle it rather than risking a stuck valve or a mess.
Prefer to leave it to us? Call (877) 560-1148 to schedule a flush.