I've been living in my house for over five years, and I just realized I've never flushed the hot water tank (oops!). I think it's recommended to do this at least once a year, right? I'm wondering if I can handle this myself or if it's better to call a plumber. Any advice? Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
You can totally do it yourself! Just grab a hose that's rated for hot water, connect it to the bottom of the tank, and run it to a drain or outside. First, make sure to turn off the cold water supply valve. Then, open the drain valve at the bottom to let the water out. To stir up any sediment, you can open the top valve too, then turn it off and let it drain again. You don’t need to fill it all the way back up, just enough to help with the sediment.
Yes, flushing yearly is a good rule of thumb. If you have hard water, you might want to consider doing it every six months to keep things running smoothly!
Thanks for the tips, everyone! I have an electric tank, so I’ll be diving into this DIY project soon. Wish me luck! ?
Definitely cool things down first! I'd even recommend turning off the breaker if it’s electric, just to be safe.