I tried to flush my gas water heater today, but I ran into a problem that I need some guidance on. I turned off the gas and the cold water line, then opened a hot water faucet in my house, but only a little water flowed out before stopping completely. After that, I hooked up my house to the drain and opened it, and I heard some water but not much else. I also opened the check valve, but nothing changed. Does anyone know what I'm missing? I think the drain isn't blocked since if I turn the cold water back on, water flows out the drain just fine.
3 Answers
If you're concerned about sediment blocking the drain, remember that it can sometimes act up only when cold water is off. Watching some YouTube tutorials on flushing your water heater might help visualize the process better too!
A solid tip is to open the drain valve and then use a hanger or similar tool to poke through the valve. Sediment can easily clog this narrow opening. Also, don't forget you don't need to shut off the cold water when flushing; keeping it on helps agitate the sediment. By the way, when was the last time you checked or replaced the anode rod? It’s good practice to do that every few years!
It sounds like you might have some sediment blocking your drain faucet. This can happen during flushing. Check to ensure the check valve is installed the right way too. Sometimes it's just a simple misalignment that can cause issues like this!
Yeah, if the check valve is reversed, it won’t let water flow properly through the drain. Make sure to double-check its orientation.
Exactly! I always remind folks to check that anode rod. It can cause bigger issues if not taken care of regularly.