Water Heater Flushing: Truth or Old Wives Tale?

[Reborn]

I have not flushed my water heater since we bought the house 3 years ago. I am quite confident it had not been flushed for at least 5 years prior given the understanding I have of the circumstances, and if I had to guess, it likely was never flushed for the life of the water heater. If the 4 digits of the serial number are an indication, it is 19 years old. It's a natural gas, 50 gallon water heater.

I haven't flushed it because I've read that flushing a water heater after a long period of not doing so can lead to problems (failure of unit, leaks, etc.). Is that actually valid, or an old wives tale?

Reason I'm curious now is that our water heat became sporadic several weeks ago - not that we are running out of hot water fast, but the temperature at full hot was cool to warm sometimes, and hot (the appropriate temperature) other times. At this point, the water is almost never appropriately hot, and pretty much always warm, and I've already turned up the temperature dial a bit on the water heater(with no consequence). So the easiest thing is that sediment is making the heating element(s) ineffective, but I'm gun shy since I've heard that doing a drain under the circumstances may lead to more trouble.

Appreciate any input.

 

[shoxthemonkey]

I'm on a well and my water is extremely hard. I flush my tank every couple years or so. I just let it run until the minerals quit making noise against the bucket and move on. It's an electric unit, if that makes any difference.

 

[240sxguy]

It's 19 years old. Plan on buying a new one.

I don't flush mine but it's on the backside of a softener so it lives a pampered life.

 

[Reborn]

Upon further inspection, I do have an error code for the temperature sensor. I went to the manufacturers website to see what replacing the sensor entails. Put in my serial number, and it turns out my unit was manufactured in 2012, and with its 9 year warranty, replacement parts are still under warranty!

The Tank will need to be drained to install the replacement part, so that will force my hand either way. Part arrives in 3-5 business days, so I'll report back in about a week when I give it a go.

Thanks for everyone's input!

 

[Jim greengo]

I tell people to drain 5 gallons out of them every month when I install them.
Especially with electric water heaters if you have hard/bad water.
Turn power off before on the electric ones of course.

 

[tncatadjuster]

You don’t need to drain to replace element.

 

[Kaizen]

Upon further inspection, I do have an error code for the temperature sensor. I went to the manufacturers website to see what replacing the sensor entails. Put in my serial number, and it turns out my unit was manufactured in 2012, and with its 9 year warranty, replacement parts are still under warranty!

The Tank will need to be drained to install the replacement part, so that will force my hand either way. Part arrives in 3-5 business days, so I'll report back in about a week when I give it a go.

Thanks for everyone's input!

If it has an anode rod you should order another one as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BillK]

My house was built in 1978 Originally we had a 52 gal electric water heater. I used to "flush" it every few years. I think I had to replace a couple of elements. It worked fine until 1997. At that time they ran gas lines up our street and we had the chance to switch to gas so we got a new water heater and natural gas furnace. That was 23 years ago. I will probably jinx myself but I absolutely have not touched the gas heater a single time.

I do imagine the water quality has a lot to do with it. We are on "city" water and do not get much in the way of mineral buildup on anything.

 

[PCustoms]

Flush it.

Mine was probably never done, and it built up enough to burn out the bottom element. The element came out in pieces, and I had to dig over 5 gallons of crusty sediment out the element hole just to get it lower then the hole.

I pulled the heater shortly after and had another couple buckets. When I cut it open

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, flushing water heaters is beneficial to longer service life.

 

[driftpin]

You don’t need to drain to replace element.

I am unsure as to the comment here, are you referring to the heating element(s)? If you are referring to the heating elements why-wouldn't you need to drain the tank, after shutting off the power, to change a heating element?

 

[Bretny]

Water quality has everything to do with this. Even after the softener you can get deposits.

 

[harley jim]

Reborn said it was natural gas, there are no elements in it. It will have a burner assembly under it.
If it were mine I would drain it. Mine has a plastic drain valve on the bottom that I plan on replacing next flush.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[240sxguy]

Upon further inspection, I do have an error code for the temperature sensor. I went to the manufacturers website to see what replacing the sensor entails. Put in my serial number, and it turns out my unit was manufactured in 2012, and with its 9 year warranty, replacement parts are still under warranty!

The Tank will need to be drained to install the replacement part, so that will force my hand either way. Part arrives in 3-5 business days, so I'll report back in about a week when I give it a go.

Thanks for everyone's input!

Everyone loves a happy ending!

 

[Ben Buck]

I drained our electric one in march and replaced the 2 heating elements.

Sucked out the bottom debris as best I could- bent a piece of 1/2 inch pcv pipe, this allowed me to get around the edge. Hooked up to my shop vac.

debris was 6 inches deep in a 5 gallon bucket !

We are on a well- no softer in use.

 

[Reborn]

Thanks everyone for your input! To be clear, the part that needs replacement is the temperature sensor based on the error code, not a heating element - as Jim said, I don't believe this unit would have any elements.

The person on the phone said I would need to drain it to replace the sensor. Perhaps she is sending me the entire valve assembly - I don't really know. In any case, I want to flush it and "take my chances" with the old wives tale. The heater makes plenty of popping noises after showers, which indicates a robust amount of sediment is in there. Sediment is also likely the cause of failure of the sensor.

 

[harley jim]

Reborn
You got one of those fancy new fangled things.
I keep spanking my bil for being stuck in the 50s so I guess I get spanked this time. Glad it was an easy fix.
Now it's on my mind and I need to clean mine.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Jackfre]

Water heaters gain weight throughout their life. I can carry a 40 gallon water heater in, but need the help of two people and a hand cart with pneumatic tires to get the old on out. I ditch the plastic bib on the new tanks and put a 3/4" full port ball valve on it with an ips-hose adapter.

 

[Showkey]

I will vote depends on the water...........one guy will have zero deposits and crud in 20 years, the other guy has the heater is junk in 5 years with deposits 12” deep.

They say .......Based on the manufacturer's suggested service life, the life expectancy of a water heater is about 8 to 12 years. I have always been lucky and seem to beat the averages by at least double over 10 homes. Two or three had very marginal ( quality) well water too.

 

[Jking24]

I am unsure as to the comment here, are you referring to the heating element(s)? If you are referring to the heating elements why-wouldn't you need to drain the tank, after shutting off the power, to change a heating element?

You can shut your water and power off release the head pressure. Then put a towel down and pull the element and swap quickly the tank will hold the water because their is no vent so it's essentially the same as putting your finger on top of a straw and holding liquid in it. Elements are replaced this way all the time

 

[quadrcr87]

Thanks for the thread, It reminded me to go change my water filter and check the softener. I have not flushed my gas water heater but I just replaced it last year at 15yrs old. I have high iron content w/ a softener and electric powered anode.

 

[tncatadjuster]

I am unsure as to the comment here, are you referring to the heating element(s)? If you are referring to the heating elements why-wouldn't you need to drain the tank, after shutting off the power, to change a heating element?

Just a trick an old man taught me. Turn off the power, turn off the inlet and then change out the element. If you are quick maybe a pint or quart of water is lost with little mess. I have rent houses and sometimes provide quick response, late at night and this is the preferred method of replacement for me. I drain every third year.

 

[b-boy]

I replace them every 10 years whether they need it or not. I start getting nervous at 8 years.

I've know people who had them fail, and they can do some serious damage when they fail.

 

[bazar01]

Just a trick an old man taught me. Turn off the power, turn off the inlet and then change out the element. If you are quick maybe a pint or quart of water is lost with little mess. I have rent houses and sometimes provide quick response, late at night and this is the preferred method of replacement for me. I drain every third year.

In addition to what you listed after turning off the inlet valve is to relieve the pressure inside the tank by opening a hot water faucet. Then close. You are ready to change out the element. If the water heater has a drain pan, the spills will be collected there. If no drain pan, a wet vac will take care of the spill.

 

[Reborn]

I replace them every 10 years whether they need it or not. I start getting nervous at 8 years.

I've know people who had them fail, and they can do some serious damage when they fail.

Assuming you are referring to in-attic installations? Mine is in the garage with all connections to and from out in the open. Obviously, it could dump 50 gallons in my garage, which wouldn't be pleasant, but seems to be relatively low risk?

 

[Showkey]

I replace them every 10 years whether they need it or not. I start getting nervous at 8 years.

I've know people who had them fail, and they can do some serious damage when they fail.

That’s why they have pans with a drain outside or drain in the floor etc.


Pans & Drains

It's generally recommended, and often code required, to install a drip pan with a drain line beneath your hot water heater tank. Especially if you water heater is in your home living space or basement, a leak could cause lots of water damage. A pan and drain eliminate this possibility.

 

[bonneyman]

The water company locally recommends water heaters be drained once a month to extend the life of the unit. But I can't see wasting 30 gallons of HOT water per month when I live in the desert.

My heater is about 16 years old, and starts popping and thunking when the minerals get built up. I drain about a gallon out of it, add a pound of sodium hexametaphosphate, and then run it about 15 minutes. It gurgles, vibrates, pops, and rumbles at first but eventually settles down. Fully drain and refill, keep turning on the drain valve at times while filling to extract more sediment. You wouldn't believe the white and blue crud that comes out. I'm good for 6 months or more usually.

 

[larry4406]

For those of you that do this, are you shutting down, isolating, and fully draining or are you just opening the drain under pressure and purging several gallons?

 

[bazar01]

For those of you that do this, are you shutting down, isolating, and fully draining or are you just opening the drain under pressure and purging several gallons?

If you have a fairly new water heater, just hooking up a hose on the bottom connection and draining under pressure until the water clears up. If the build up is worst esp on old water heaters on hard water, they may not come out and just clog up the drain valve. When the build up is so bad and touching the bottom element, it will eventually corrode and destroy the element. In that case, you have to close the inlet water supply, relieve pressure, remove the bottom element, connect a 1" pipe and hose adapter and drain and vacuum out the calcium deposits.
Or maybe time for a new one if you don't want to bother cleaning.

 

[Bert_]

I might crack the valve if I think about it once a year or so. 99% of them never get touched.

I don't worry about if it's going to leak. It's in the basement. A little leak will just run to the floor drain. Concrete doesn't care if it gets wet.