How to Flush a Water Heater? | Flushing Will Probably Not Fix Your Problem

Thanks for watching! WARNING: Jim shares a controversial (to some in our community) troubleshooting solution to foul-smelling water in OLD water heaters. Everyone has an opinion, so please share yours below. Thanks again for watching and CLICK SUBSCRIBE for more plumbing advice.

My Dad was a plumber & he never flushed the water heater. He never told me it needed to be flushed either. If he were here, he would be 85. I appreciate your Dad.👏

Being a plumber in Fl, I have drained plenty of water heaters, especially the once’s on well water. Not unusual for me to get a couple gallons of sediment out of them. By flushing and back flushing numerous times, sometimes the sediment gets so high in the tank that it shorts out the bottom element. Just saying, it can help.

Been a plumber for 30 years in Maine and 2 years in AZ , I’m now in Florida. My professional opinion, if you have bad water , sand, hard water . You will want to flush the water heater , it WILL last longer . I Recently bought a house and the water heater is older , I flushed 5 gallons of calcium out of the bottom , the heater was “kettling “ . I solved all the issues and also lowered my electric bill . Yes, I did change the valve at the bottom to help clean properly and also removed the lower element to gain better access to flush with water and used snake camera to see what I was doing.

The magnesium rod is a sacrificial anode. It is there to save your heater from corrosion. Dissimilar metals will create electrolysis and will disintegrate the metals. Replace this anode every 5 or so years. That's why you have dielectric fittings on your inlet and outlet as well.

About electric models: 99% of anode rods are factory installed as Aluminum. If you get a smell, change it out to Magnesium [$13 +/-] with a impact wrench and a 1-1/16 socket. After 10 years, change the rod no matter what. Usually it is gone. If you still get odors, change to a electric anode. They work, and are what keep underground gas pipelines lines from leaking. Without an anode, end of life is near. Flushing: Some of us have very hard water- my water heater produces about 5 gallons of calcium sediment every 5 years. I always remove the factory crap drain valve and install a ball valve. Now you can open the valve and go to work with a coat hanger while the inlet is partially on. Indeed, some homes can go 20++ years without a flush and maybe just a few elements and an anode. Anodes don't flake off and fill cracks in the glass or epoxy lining. Rather the anode is sacrificial and is there to be the easiest metal to 'rust' -when the rod is gone, the tank becomes the target of corrosion. Electric water heaters used to be very cheap until recently, like $189 at Ace hardware. Now they are well over $400+. For some peculiar reason Costco had a closeout on GE electric water heaters, 50 gallon for $99 delivered. Bought three as the detachable parts alone are worth more than that! Go figure.

Great video! But - the magnesium rod is actually there as the anode to prevent the higher metals from rusting. On boats, we attach a zinc plate to the bottom, then it takes all the stray electrical current and can be replaced instead of having all the other metal on the boat rust.

A couple comments; Number 1, If you have water pressure coming into your house over 60 psi, you should install a pressure regulator. This is a common practice in many areas. Number 2, depending on you water quality (especially pertaining to calcium), sometimes flushing the tank does help. I attach a small piece of garden hose to a shop vac and use it to suck sediment from the bottom. Overall though dad is right, way too much emphasis placed on flushing, but in some cases and areas it is necessary. With the correct pressure and a little maintenance, I have had tanks last 30+ years.

Thanks a bunch. I live on the east coast and have a 10-year-old electric water heater. I was seriously thinking of draining it and now I won't. I appreciate your knowledge.

Boy, you guys just saved me a lot of time and probably some money. We just moved into a year old house and was about to flush our electric water heater. TANKS!!!!!

Worked as a plumbers helper in high school (mid to late 70’s), North of Houston. We did new houses, Houston was growing due to most of the big oil companies moving here. Anyway the boss was a crusty old Polish guy from New Jersey, named Louie. He would say “hot water heater”, how do you heat (insert colorful language) hot water! Ever since I call it a water heater. On a high note I learned life skills in that job. Thanks for the video.

You are so lucky to have your Dad with you! What a sweet man.

I’m a plumber for 40 years and for 40 years I’ve been saying don’t flush the water heaters !!!! 👍👍

Glad you have your father to teach us something valuable. i am 53 and my dad died when I was 15...still a lot to learn in my life.

Thank you! I was just getting ready to flush my water heater due to it being only a year old. The one i had in before it lasted 14 years and I never flushed it. The installer said I needed to flush the new one every 6 months but I was think more like a years due to I am the only one using it and why waste the water. I feel better now knowing it is not really necessary. again thanks!!!

You are my new hero! Pull no punches, tell it like it is, speak truth to power! The grumpy plumber rules!!

I wasn't gonna like the video until he said 'if you didn't like it go to hell'. Liked.

Deterioration of a water heater depends as much on the water characteristics as anything else.

😂😂 I been a hvac contractor for 20 years and I'm see thinks like your Dad and agree 100%. Thanks. Gus

Nice video, he reminds me of some of the guys I learned from. As a tradesmen (not a plumber by first trade but plumed my own house) I learn something from everyone. I know one thing I would be putting a pressure regulator on my line if 150psa was coming from the street. 60 is normal for municipal water. Now I know what to tell ‘em when they smell rotten eggs.