If you live in an area with hard water, chances are that sediment has already formed in your hot water system over time. Minerals, such as calcium, found in hard water usually deposit in the hot water tanks as continuous heating and cooling happens within the tanks. As a result, your hot water system heating efficiency reduces with time, leading to progressively cooler baths. It is recommended that hot water maintenance on these systems should be done at least annually, and flushing is one of these crucial maintenance activities. You should note, however, that flushing a very old hot water system could be counterproductive. With time, such old systems may have developed holes and cracks that the sediment sealed up. Flushing would re-expose these openings leading to leaks. This is why you should get professional help when handling old systems' hot water maintenance.

Flushing your newer gas or electric system, however, is a fairly easy process that follows these steps:

Step one

The first step should always involve shutting off the gas or electric power to the system. With electric systems, disconnect the entire circuitry at the main power breaker. The next shut-off would involve the water supply running directly into your tank. Turn off the cold water valve, ensuring no water is going into the tank.

Step two

The next step involves flushing preparations. Turn on any nearby hot water faucet to eliminate hot water from the tank. This faucet should remain on throughout the entire flushing process. Keeping the faucet on prevents the possible buildup of air in the system and formation of a vacuum. You can then open the drain valve on the system and connect a hose running from the tank to a disposal area.

In some instances, you may have to adjust the drain valve size. This is especially necessary when the sediment build-up is too much and blocks the drain hole. In such cases, some simple PVC adapters and glue available at your local hardware would do. A professional hot water maintenance person can easily set this up for you; otherwise the female and male adapters are a simple fit that you can easily grasp and set up. If the tank is located in lower regions such as basements, you may need to connect your drainage pipe to a pump that provides suction.

Step three

Drain the tank completely using the hose setup. Once water runs out, commence repeatedly opening and closing the cold water supply while the drain is open. The repeated opening and closing of cold water supply stirs sediment and will flush it out of the tank.

Step four

Once the drain water becomes clear and shows less sediment, disconnect the pipes and shut the drain valve. Then fill the tank and open all the hot water faucets in the house. This will eliminate air bubbles and the possibility of air locks. Once the water begins running consistently, the tank is flushed, and you can now turn on the heating component.