Hot Lather

Posted by admin on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Hot Lather

How to Make Your Water Heater Last Longer

For some reason, hot water heater manufacturers do not encourage home owners to perform maintenance on their hot water heaters. Is it because they want you to have to buy a replacement water heater much sooner then is necessary? Just a simple bi-yearly flush can extend the life of a water heater by years.

You need to flush your hot water heater at least twice a year. If you live in an area with hard water, you probably need to do it more often. What is hard and soft water? Hard water has a high mineral content, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, or sulfates, and soft water does not. A simple way to tell which type you have is by how hard it is to lather your soap or toothpaste. If you have a hard time getting them to lather then you probably have hard water.

Below are some reasons to flush your water heater tank regularly.

Flushing will save you money on energy cost.
The sediment in the bottom of the tank displaces your hot water volume, so you have less available hot water, not to mention the calcium, scale, rust, dirt, and iron in the tank bottom.
Bacteria can also grow in the older tanks and you sometimes smell sulfur or rotten egg odor.

The unit will last longer with flushing because it eliminates rust. Also, by cleaning the unit on a regular schedule, you will more likely notice any rusting on the outside of the tank. Rust on the outside of the tank gives you warning that it's time to replace the unit and prevent possible flooding of your home.

How do you flush your water heater? The steps you take are basically the same whether you have an electric or gas water heater.

Step one: Turn off the power (electric water heater) or for gas, set the temperature dial to vacation or pilot only.

Step two: Turn off the cold water inlet valve. It should be near the top of the tank on the cold water line entering the tank.

Step three: Hook up a garden hose to the bottom of the tank where there is a hose bib (drain cock). Take the other end of the outside (or to a floor drain if you have one). Be sure to keep it away from anything that could be damaged by the dirty water coming from the tank.

Warning! The water coming out of the tank is hot! Use caution!

Step four: Open a hot water faucet located near the hot water tank. This relieves the water pressure in the water supply line and tank, allowing air to enter the tank for easy drainage.

Step five: Open the hose bib at the bottom of the tank. After the tank is drained once, re-fill it to about half full and drain it one more time.

Step six: Make sure the hose bib on the bottom of the tank is closed. Disconnect the hose.

Step seven: Close the hot water faucet you opened earlier.

Step eight: Open the cold water inlet valve to the tank. Let the tank fill.

Step nine: Turn your power back on (electric) or turn the red temp valve (gas) back up.

Noticed bad odors coming from your water? Does it smell like sulfur or rotten eggs? This could be bacteria inside the hot water tank. A quick fix for this is to add a gallon of bleach when you flush the tank. Follow all the earlier steps, but after step four (opening a hot water faucet) you will need to unscrew the cold water inlet connection on the top of the water heater. This will be connected to what is called a “nipple” and should be a flexible connector or hose.

After you disconnect the water line, use a funnel and add one gallon of bleach, pouring it in at the top of the water heater at the inlet opening. After adding the bleach, completely fill the tank with water and then allowing it to set for about one hour. This should kill any bacteria in the tank. After letting it sit for an hour, go to each plumbing fixture (bathtubs, sinks, shower, washer, etc.) and turn on the hot water side and let each run for about 15 minutes. This should remove most of the bleach in the tank.

Exercise caution when you flush your hot water heater tank. Take care of your hot water heater. It will last much longer and save you money.

About the Author

Jack Heape is a licensed plumber and is the owner and manager of Carolina Water Heaters. For more information on water heaters and to view some free videos see All About Water Heaters.