Flush a water heater

Summary: Flushing removes sediment from the tank, improving efficiency and extending service life.

Before you start

Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move. Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move.

Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move. Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move.

Steps

1. Turn off power or set gas control to vacation. Close the cold-water shutoff.
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve and route to a safe drain.
3. Open a hot tap to break vacuum, then open the drain valve until water runs clear.
4. Pulse flush by briefly opening the cold-water valve.
5. Close the drain, remove hose, refill, purge air, and restore power or gas.

Tools & materials

• Garden hose
• Screwdriver
• Gloves
• Bucket
• Teflon tape (if valve drips)

Common mistakes

Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move. Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move.

Pro tip

Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move. Metro Vancouver homes face heavy rain, mixed housing ages, and evolving code requirements. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps you can do with basic tools, and it highlights where a licensed plumber is the right next move.