Most of the time I have to pause videos for instructions but I got that in 1 go around. I couldn't believe my ears when he said "that was a mouth full let me say it again." Thanks alot for the detail!
Look I went thru formal schooling for this but I thank you for what you do , I call you a saint for our times , because no one else will teens this , how to save money ok doing it yourself, he'll no one does it
Just viewed and appreciated the detailed step by step instructions...Kind of hard to do a proper how to video in two minutes as some plumbers have done. I saved this for future reference. thanks to the video presenter for such a great job...
This is great. This gives confidence to a novice like me. Can be done. I loved the details and pointing out the location of different parts that we must manipulate for draining
love the videos! can't wait for more, very informative. i did this the other day on an 18 year old tank. the tank plugged too, there was about 4 inches of sediment in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket by the time we were done. the reason we decided to flush the tank was because the temperature was overshooting. aquastat was set at 120, but the water coming out was at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. after changing the aquastat and well with no change in water temp... i realized that the sediment was holding the heat, the burner ran so long because the sediment was insulating the water from heating, so when the water finally hit 120 and shut off the sediment was super hot and continued heating the water even though the burner was off. never seen a case that bad before.
Thanks for this video. In the process of flushing mine now. Wanted to add that if you're meeting resistance at the valve while flushing as you did during your third flush you can also try turning the valve off with the flat head screw driver and then turning it back on versus taking the hose off. I did this first and it seemed to break up whatever was clogging it up and it's draining again now .
Terrific video. Very clear presentation. I put together a brief "cookbook" of steps on paper, and taped it to my water heater - - along with a space for "date of flushing". The goal for me is to do this once a year. Also - - make sure you check/replace your anode once every 3-5 years. It will double the life of your water heater. If you have to hire the anode replacement work (very likely for most of us), the cost is about $125 from your local plumber/handyman.
Excellent presentation. I appreciated your going through each step to cover any contingencies that may arise. Professional plumber videos seem to gloss over a lot of the details in their discussion (probably because it seems mundane to them), so it was a welcome change. Thanks for taking the time to lay it all out for us.
Thanks for the step-by-step elaboration. Everything is clear and well-explained except that on the 3rd flush of the tank, you mentioned that there is probably a big flake blocking the drain value from inside the tank and you have to take off the drain hose and "blow it back" to clear it. How exactly is this done? How do you blow back? Thanks and look forward to hearing from you. Cheers.
I'm assuming you blow into the garden hose attached to the drain valve. Depending on the length of your hose, you might have to blow harder. If you don't have a short hose, you can be risky and blow straight into the drain valve and hope you don't get blasted with hot water and sediment. There's a gadget called sediment buster that you can use a bike pump or air compressor that you can blow air with short bursts. I just ordered one from eBay since their website doesn't ship to Canada. There's also another gadget called the Turbo Tank Cleaner. It works like a drain snake but I've seen mixed reviews about the agitator breaking off, and another con about it is that you'd have to take the drain valve off and install the tank cleaner. I hope you'd found the solution by now as your comment is a year old, but if your problem is solved then regular maintenance will be easier!
Thank you for the walk-through! It was easy to follow you along and I was able to finally get my water heater flushed. When I just opened the drain, a bunch of black stuff came out. I had way more little pieces of dirt or whatever then you did too.
I did this a few years ago and it leaked through the relief valve, I tapped it a few times with a screw driver handle and flipped it open and shut a few times and it slowed to a drip. Had to put a coffee can under it and empty it about once a week it eventually stopped dripping but it took about 18 months. I’ll never mess with it again lol
Ideally, replacing the factory drain valve with a full port brass ball valve with a brass nipple on the water heater side and a brass hose adapter on the outlet side of the valve. Leave the water supply to the water heater on, connect the garden hose, and run it out on the lawn, and fully open the ball valve. Let it run for five minutes and you're done. Do this every 4 to six months on a new water heater and your deposits will be minimal. From a retired plumber.
I think this is a more practical way to flush a hot water heater than what was shown in the video. Far fewer steps that may discourage folks from flushing. Because the cold water inlet pipe extends all the way down to the bottom of the tank, it does a good job of agitating the sediment at the bottom as the cold water "smashes" into the sediment. Because this process requires only connecting a hose and opening the drain valve, it is a piece of cake to perform every 4-6 months as CentralCoastCamper said.
@@MrLuigi-oi7gm I vacuum my electric BW hot water heater out😂 every 6 months... as our city water supply Is really quite bad...scale at the bottom of tank is about 1 inch thick after only 6 months.....use a wet vac and a flexible rubber 3 ft tube to vacuum out ...gets out all the sludge....then replace both elements as they get really gunked up!!
You may want to watch the RV geeks do this. They add a sprayer in the hole the anode rod goes in & a camera through the hole to inspect the tank. Oh they also use vinegar to help with hard water buildup. Depending on your water source you may want to do that as well. Matt Risinger did a video on cutting open some water heaters that I suspect doing a full flush & using vinegar would have helped.
If you are like me and don't want to waste all that hot water, you can set the gas valve to pilot or shut the power off and then take a shower to use up a lot of the hot water before draining it so you don't waste all that hot water you paid to heat. If you have an electric water heater this is also a benefit so you can make sure the water isn't heating up again after you shut the power off because you will destroy the heating elements if the power is still on for whatever reason such as a mislabeled breaker or wiring problem.
Good video. Several months ago, I flushed my tank and installed a new anode rod. While I had the anode rod out I flushed the tank again by spraying my water hose in the hole where the anode rod fits. A lot more stuff that looked like sand came out. I changed the heating elements and thermostats too. For sixty-five dollars, I replaced everything serviceable. My tank is 17 years old. I decided to replace everything while It was empty. It had not been serviced before. All that was left of the original anode rod was basically some wires. The tank is working like a new one. The recovery time is better. One of the original heating elements must have been bad. My tank is an electric AO Smith installed in 2002. I plan to flush it once a year, before too much sentiment builds up. The anode rod protects the glass lined tank. Replacing the anode rod will prolong the life of a hot water tank. I have four hot water tanks, so learning how to maintain them has saved me hundreds of dollars. I placed a remote controlled switch with timer inline with our recirculating pump. When we need hot water we use the remote to turn on the recirculating pump. We gave instant hot water in two minutes. The timer keeps it on for two hours. Our electric bill dropped 27 percent the first month. Although the recirculating pump only requires 35 watts, the concrete slab was acting like a giant heat sink and the returning water was cooling enough to cause the 4500 watt heating elements to turn on to reheat the water. Dual heating element kit with thermostats. $29.00 New anode rod. $36.00. Inline remote controlled timer. $13.00. ( since 2007, the total savings has been a couple of thousand dollars ) we purchased two more timers just to get some additional remotes for the laundry room and kitchen. Make sure you get the same frequency as your original remote.
I wouldn't have spent 2 cents fixing an old water heater. It's at the END of its life span. When they burst, its a mess. I replace mine every 10 years regardless of condition.
I usually do this once a year. I'm on a well so it is never bad. I never have turned on the hot water in a sink but it looks like a good idea to help with the air in the line. Thanks for the tip.
I'm a licensed contractor and I don't recommend shutting off the water to flush just hook up the hose and drain for 5 mins. and that will be a perfect flush and you should do this once a year.
Why? And are you saying don't drain the tank first? Just leave the cold water inlet on the entire time? Doesn't exactly make sense to me. Even in this video, he produced additional sediment having emptied the tank first. If this is supposed to be a given, your one sentence recommendation is somewhat ambiguous. My best guess is you are saying empty the tank first then turn the cold water valve back on do a single continuous flush. Is this what you mean? If you don't mind me saying, it would be kind of you if you desire to make a recommendation you could include your rational behind it. After all, doing as he/this video suggests (multiple mini flushes), seems it would be more effective in removing the maximum amount of sentiment in the tank. So why recommend otherwise? I'm curious to know as I want to do this right the first time. Thanks!
@@Shiloh2rtn If I'm not mistaken, the cold water inlet on these water heaters go down a tube/pipe to the bottom of the tank so it doesn't mix with the hot water out. By leaving the inlet valve open when you drain you're going to agitate and loosen the sediment at the bottom and flush it out. Especially if it's one that has been maintained. I like to close mine personally so I can see what comes out of the hose. Then I'll flush more with the valve open to be certain all is gone. At least a vast majority is.
@@Dorain1969 That's part of the point I don't understand. It takes a very long time to drain my tank via gravity but fills very fast. So in my thinking, sufficient agitation would be minimized opposed to having the tank fully drained first, then rapidly splashing water into the tank to suspend any existing particles. The commenter I responded to said he doesn't recomend this method. I want to know why. Anyway, I followed the video maker's method. But despite the whole process, I still hear the popping sound (that started 5 days ago) when the water is heated. However, it is not as bad! So I was thinking about re-draining the tank yet again and see if I can get more out. However, the sediment really wasn't bad on first drain. Hard to know if that's good or bad. Anyway, thanks for your input.
I think that the reason that he did the flush completely was because he was doing the anode replacement, though I am not sure it is necessary to completely drain for this. He said he was going to do it but he didn't show that process. If I was just going to flush it, I would leave the cold water inlet on for two reasons. One, to keep the pressure pushing out sediment so that it is less likely to get clogged or you know it is clogged and not just drained. Second is that it would keep you from having to disturb the cold water inlet valve. I would assume that a plumber visit is required if that leaks, so I wouldn't want to mess with it if I could avoid.
@@Dorain1969 You are mistaken in assuming all water heaters have cold water inlets at the top. I have many hot water heaters and most are side closest to bottom fed. These are my preferred type. I believe they are the best. I also believe they stir the sediment best and I personally would leave the water on while flushing and it does take longer than a few minutes.
Make sure you have a good washer in the hose end hook up. 2) do not open most drain valves all the way, it will come out completely and scald you. 3) On electric water heaters look for a switch box between the water heater and the breaker. 4) put a weight on the hose end at the drain.
Of all the videos I saw on flushing water heaters yours was the best. Even the professional videos could not compare to yours. Very thorough. Good Job!
You’re the reason I drained my water heater and thank goodness that I did. It probably had not been drained for 5years. It was shocking how much came out. Giant clumps. Many thanks for taking the time to make this video!
Being a lady on my own, with the help of this great tutorial video I was able to flush my hot water tank...that needed a flush badly. I feel confident now to do this yearly. Thank you.
Same! This is the 4th video I watched and the first to have all the details. The first one didn't mention turning off the cold water, opening up the hot, or even how to stir it up. He was a plumbing "professional" and just drained a few gallons out. He wants to create more customers that need a new hot water heater! LOL
Since you asked for feedback... many people think they have Hot Water Heaters and may not have caught your correct terminology "Water Heater". Your water heater has a Piezoelectric starter it might have helped some viewers to see what to do with it. Also discuss replacing the Thermocouple and what the symptoms of a bad one are. Using a match to start older pilot lights could save someone some trouble. At least if the Piezoelectric starter won't work starting the pilot with a match may help until repairs can be made. Could you help some viewers know that if the Thermocouple goes bad the gas valve will not release gas to start the burner. I like your videos and I'm a Subscriber.
When we have to flush a tank I like to leave the cold water on for just a minute or so, this helps blast out any junk that may be sitting in the valve or around it out and gets the water flowing, then I shut the supply off.
Great video..I would like suggest once the tank is drained, change out the drain spigot on the water heater for a regular garden type spigot that can be purchased at any home improvement store.. The gardened type valve opens wider to allow more chunks of mineral and debris come out.
I think, since you're showing how to turn the pilot off, you should re-light it. Also, there's probably debris in that drain-valve seat so you might reverse-flush the valve; blow water back in, past the seat. Most plumbers seem to advise "NEVER cycle the overflow valve" but I do it anyway. I figure that, if it leaks, it was crusty and needs replacing. Therefore, it might be adviseable to just replace it after the fluse...or before. :-) Good Job!
any hvac issues i have i come to this channel. this man knows his stuff. such a blessing having someone like yourself on youtube. hope you enjoyed the holidays
As usual my water heater was very clean, almost nothing came out but I flush it every year and have a water filter on my main plus a sleeve casing on my well. We even have a green sand system in line. By opening the hot water line in the kitchen and leaving the pressure valve open until after the tank was full and up to pressure there was no air in the lines. While living in Vegas for 9 years even flushing didn't help. Changing the Anode ever year did help but the average life of a water heater was still only 4 to 5 years.
Very hesitant dealing with a gas hot water heater but fantastic video--it all worked great. I had to flush 6-8 times (was probably not done before we moved in). THANKS!!!
Good video, but anyone who drains there water heater needs to have a hose bib cap to put on the drain, if the sediment settles under the seat of the drain valve and you can't get the water to stop flowing ,when the valve is cut off. Its very common to have your valve leaking after you drain the tank , especially if it's a tank that hasn't been drained in a few years.
Your videos are great! I find personally the only way to get out all the sediment is to crush it down and flush it out , Impossible to do with the water heater installed. Usually the chunks are to big to leave the drain valve!
Great detailed video! It was the first one I watched, but by being so detailed I don't need to watch another. All questions were answered regarding draining my tank. I really appreciate the video, now I just need to do it. Thank you Jay, and thank you Word of Advice TV, great job!
Good video and as a service tech for a utility for years, then a District Inspector doing Digsafe i noticed something. I seem to notice after watermain or service replacement when pressure went from str pressure to no pressure within months they were replaced. I don't know if it was just cheap ones or not. When you went to a str where the watermain was replaced if you used the street regularly you would see this. Like to know if I'm wrong or not. Also loss of high efficiency heating equipment if in older gas systems is do too timing out due to what's called saturation problem.
Good video. At what point do you turn the electricity to the hot water heater on from the breaker panel, after flushing is complete? Would it be before you turn the heater from "pilot" to "on"?
I can tell you're a Joe blow home owner wanting to make a name for yourself on UA-cam . I've been a licensed plumber for 45years plus. Most people don't realize the bottom of the tank is concave, meaning domed in the center. The way he proposes flushing only clears the sediment near the drain valve and as some one else commented the drain valve he has is worthless to flush the w. heater. A ball valve, preferable full port is needed. I drained mine, bought a piece of 1" hose, put a pipe nipple in the end of the ball valve. Pushed the 3' or less piece of hose on. Putting a funnel in the opposite end. I picked up 4to6 gal of vinegar, depending on the size of the W. H. pour it in the funnel. Let it set as long as 4 hours. Then put your hose on to the floor drn. Shut off the T&P valve and other faucets. Open and close the ball valve in 5 to 10 second intervals to surge the bottom and raise the sediment. You'll see a lot more sediment in the bucket. Do the surging til the water is clear. In my case we have a lime/calcium deposit in the water heater and it has a gurgling/ boiling sound when the burner is on. Do the method I suggest and get rid of the boiling sound and and years of life to your water heater !
@Bob Prins ...Question ...If you were going to replace the Anode Rod at the same time you flush...Could just pour in the Vinegar into the Anode Rod 'Hole" on top...
Is the bottom of tank concave or convex? Convex would be domed in the center and concave would be not domed or "caved in" in the center. BIG difference. Concave is an inward curve and convex is a domed our outward curve in the center.
And you Bob I can tell are a prick! And just because you've been a plumber for 45 years plus doesn't prove much to me. Give this guy some credit for trying to help other people who are save a few bucks from plumbers who overcharge for their services. Just saying Bob, how much would you charge to do this service?
Good to hear someone call this appliance by it's correct name "water heater" and not "hot water heater". Why would anyone need to heat hot water? It's like saying cold water cooler.
This was an excellent video,..very clear and slow enough for a novice to understand. The best I've seen so far...thank you! I now feel I can do this job myself without having to spend money on a plumber.
The video is very informative except I would add one step to the whole issue after you drain the water the first time and there's no water left in the water heater I would remove the entire shutoff valve from the actual unit itself and put a wire inside there and stir up the bottom to get any of the hard water debris to break up and then reattach the valve with the hose on it and then turn on the water and you should get a lot more stuff because the hard water will make almost like a pan of just solid hard water that will not come out of a hose
And make sure you open up a hot water faucet, or two, farthest away from the water heater to bleed off the air when you refill the tank prior to lighting it.
There are quite a few plumbers that believe for homeowners to flush their water heaters can be just as damaging as not flushing them at all. They contend that the usual process only removes a very small amount of the calcifications and sediments that may be present. The valves in most of these water heaters are plastic and being disturbed after a couple of years may can result in leaks. The pressure valve on top which is usually flipped to relieve the vacuum created by the draining water is also prone to fail to seal after being disturbed. What they claim is that negatives do not justify the benefits of flushing .
Today i drained mine by following your instructions and it went perfectly. Even after turning on the hot water faucet inside, the water didn’t flow until i opened the pressure valve. So those saying that you should never open this valve, are wrong!
At 10:00, you make a comment I could not understand. Someone else mentioned the same thing below. You said that something Had gotten stuck in the exit valve and it wasn't draining. Then you said you "blew through it backwards". But some of us don't understand what you mean by that. Please clarify. It would be so helpful to understand how you forced whatever was stuck inside the valve to pass through. Thanks!
Sorry about the confusion! I simply put my hand over the outlet of the hose with the opening still open (so that I don't put my lips directly on the metal) and blew into it backwards. That was all it needed to clear out the debris that was plugging it.
Hi Jay, Great video as usual! I have a Bradford-White 75-gallon gas water heater that is from 1997, so 23 years old. If you don’t mind, can I pester you with a few questions (I would assume others might have similar concerns). 1. I would like to drain it but am concerned that given the age draining might be risky, it could expose some weak areas and potentially cause a leak. Is it best to let “sleeping dogs lie”? It works fine but maybe it is taking a lot of energy if there is a lot of sediment build up? I did check and water does come out freely from the drain if I open it up (it’s a brass fitting with a chrome handle). 2. If I do drain it, I could drain into a sump pit or run the hose up and out to the yard through a basement window. If I drain into the sump, would the sediment clog the sump pump? If I drain out the window will I need a pump - the window is about 8 feet above the level of the heater drain. 3. Should I proactively replace the heater given its age? It seems fine, but if it leaks would it be a burst and a flood in the basement? Or is it more likely to be a slow leak, which I could shut off and give me time to get a new one. I did ask Bradford, the guy on the phone said he had never seen a catastrophic leak, that it is always a slow leak. Of course, trying to replace a heater during an emergency is setting myself up for no time or leverage to get a good deal. 4. If I get a new one what is your opinion on a tankless one? I know they are more expensive to buy and install and the payback in reduced energy bills might be minimal. But I am more concerned about their reliability or other operational drawbacks. Thanks!
Not sure why you turned off the water to the heater as the water flow would be a better flush than just the gravity of the water in the tank when you open the valve with the hose to the drain or in my case out into my yard through a door. I would have a tub at the end if the hose to watch for clear water flow then turn off the hose valve. Then in my case I turn back on my water heater timer and I'm back in service.
Excellent video with all clear details 🙏👍. Just one quick clarification. During the final stages to stir up the sediments, you turned ON the cold water into the tank for 30 seconds and kept the hot water faucet in the sink ON too. I saw someone else in another video saying that at this time the hot water faucet in the sink should be turned OFF to build pressure enabling the tank to stir up the sediments. Please clarify
excellent step by step and my wife and I were able to save plumber fees and did it ourself. Did have a problem getting much "action" until I opened the overflow valve - then it was all downhill from there. Thanks for saving us a bunch - our tank had not ever been drained and we have been fretting it, so now, we're good. thanks, again for a really easy to follow step thru.
Great walk thru video. Started to drain water heater yesterday but igniter not working and didn't want hassle of finding pilot. Now I know I don't have to turn pilot off.
Dude 🙏🏾,,this is the second time I drained my tank 💁🏽♂️,,using Your Video !! ☺️,,,Thanks ! And God Bless You !
I'm a do-it-yourselfer and this will be the first time that I'll be doing this operation and I thank you for uploading it to UA-cam for us newbies.
Most of the time I have to pause videos for instructions but I got that in 1 go around. I couldn't believe my ears when he said "that was a mouth full let me say it again." Thanks alot for the detail!
Nice to see someone else that does not turn the gas off and just sets it to to Pilot to drain the tank.
Look I went thru formal schooling for this but I thank you for what you do , I call you a saint for our times , because no one else will teens this , how to save money ok doing it yourself, he'll no one does it
Best "how to do" video I have ever seen. Was so educational. Jack
Just viewed and appreciated the detailed step by step instructions...Kind of hard to do a proper how to video in two minutes as some plumbers have done. I saved this for future reference.
thanks to the video presenter for such a great job...
Great Job. Very easy to follow.
as a new home-owner this was so helpful, thank you!!
Very clear and concise step by step--so that anyone should be able to do this without any problem!
Very knowledgeable and thorough explanation. Thanks for posting this.
This was a fantastic video, I also have a gas WH and I followed it exactly. Everything you said was spot on and easy to do. Thanks!
This is great. This gives confidence to a novice like me. Can be done. I loved the details and pointing out the location of different parts that we must manipulate for draining
Best video explanation I've seen period. Answers the WHAT and the WHY clearly and in proper sequence.
Thank you! Glad to hear the video was helpful!
.
vr
That saddle valve is probably for a humidifier that sits in the air stream. It is usually fed with hot water.
@Clyde Barrow 0 loook
Great video. To the point and you didn't miss a thing
love the videos! can't wait for more, very informative. i did this the other day on an 18 year old tank. the tank plugged too, there was about 4 inches of sediment in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket by the time we were done. the reason we decided to flush the tank was because the temperature was overshooting. aquastat was set at 120, but the water coming out was at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. after changing the aquastat and well with no change in water temp... i realized that the sediment was holding the heat, the burner ran so long because the sediment was insulating the water from heating, so when the water finally hit 120 and shut off the sediment was super hot and continued heating the water even though the burner was off. never seen a case that bad before.
Thank you- I watched a few other videos but yours was thorough and gave me the confidence to go ahead and try it.
Thanks for this video. In the process of flushing mine now. Wanted to add that if you're meeting resistance at the valve while flushing as you did during your third flush you can also try turning the valve off with the flat head screw driver and then turning it back on versus taking the hose off. I did this first and it seemed to break up whatever was clogging it up and it's draining again now .
Thanks for the wonderful and very detailed on how to flush out the water heater!
Terrific video. Very clear presentation. I put together a brief "cookbook" of steps on paper, and taped it to my water heater - - along with a space for "date of flushing". The goal for me is to do this once a year. Also - - make sure you check/replace your anode once every 3-5 years. It will double the life of your water heater. If you have to hire the anode replacement work (very likely for most of us), the cost is about $125 from your local plumber/handyman.
Good analogy with the upside down gallon to describe why to open a hot faucet.
Excellent presentation. I appreciated your going through each step to cover any contingencies that may arise. Professional plumber videos seem to gloss over a lot of the details in their discussion (probably because it seems mundane to them), so it was a welcome change. Thanks for taking the time to lay it all out for us.
Very clear, thanks a lot
Thank you sir! Now I should have the guts to flush my own water tank😊
Video was excellent.
@@miguelpedroza8036 z
Tu
Thanks for your video. It worked out fine. I replaced the pressure release valve as well.
I also want to thank you for not having background music!
I know, right? Usually the music chosen sucks anyway, and regardless it's so beside the point of an instructional video.
Excellent presentation !!!
Thank you !!
Thanks for the step-by-step elaboration. Everything is clear and well-explained except that on the 3rd flush of the tank, you mentioned that there is probably a big flake blocking the drain value from inside the tank and you have to take off the drain hose and "blow it back" to clear it. How exactly is this done? How do you blow back? Thanks and look forward to hearing from you. Cheers.
Did you ever figure out what he meant?
I wondered the same thing, weird he didn't explain.
I'm assuming you blow into the garden hose attached to the drain valve. Depending on the length of your hose, you might have to blow harder. If you don't have a short hose, you can be risky and blow straight into the drain valve and hope you don't get blasted with hot water and sediment. There's a gadget called sediment buster that you can use a bike pump or air compressor that you can blow air with short bursts. I just ordered one from eBay since their website doesn't ship to Canada. There's also another gadget called the Turbo Tank Cleaner. It works like a drain snake but I've seen mixed reviews about the agitator breaking off, and another con about it is that you'd have to take the drain valve off and install the tank cleaner. I hope you'd found the solution by now as your comment is a year old, but if your problem is solved then regular maintenance will be easier!
Excellent video....will be doing this soon. Thank you sooo much. Never have I flushed a water heater. ✌
Thank you for the walk-through! It was easy to follow you along and I was able to finally get my water heater flushed. When I just opened the drain, a bunch of black stuff came out. I had way more little pieces of dirt or whatever then you did too.
This was the best video to walk me through drawing my heater. I thank you very much!
I did this a few years ago and it leaked through the relief valve, I tapped it a few times with a screw driver handle and flipped it open and shut a few times and it slowed to a drip. Had to put a coffee can under it and empty it about once a week it eventually stopped dripping but it took about 18 months. I’ll never mess with it again lol
Awesome video 👍, I followed your instructions(step by step),and my water heater is workings good 👍, thanks a lot.
Thank you 🙂
This video was awesome. It covered everything clearly and also provided info you wouldn’t think of but is really useful to know. Thanks man.
Very nicely done and clearly explained. Thank you.
Excellent video with a lot of things I never thought of doing!
Best explanation yet!
Ideally, replacing the factory drain valve with a full port brass ball valve with a brass nipple on the water heater side and a brass hose adapter on the outlet side of the valve. Leave the water supply to the water heater on, connect the garden hose, and run it out on the lawn, and fully open the ball valve. Let it run for five minutes and you're done. Do this every 4 to six months on a new water heater and your deposits will be minimal. From a retired plumber.
This is the best advice for maintaining water heaters.
And never open the pressure relief valve. All you need is a little gunck to get in there and you're now needing to replace the relief valve.
I think this is a more practical way to flush a hot water heater than what was shown in the video. Far fewer steps that may discourage folks from flushing. Because the cold water inlet pipe extends all the way down to the bottom of the tank, it does a good job of agitating the sediment at the bottom as the cold water "smashes" into the sediment. Because this process requires only connecting a hose and opening the drain valve, it is a piece of cake to perform every 4-6 months as CentralCoastCamper said.
@@MrLuigi-oi7gm I vacuum my electric BW hot water heater out😂 every 6 months... as our city water supply Is really quite bad...scale at the bottom of tank is about 1 inch thick after only 6 months.....use a wet vac and a flexible rubber 3 ft tube to vacuum out ...gets out all the sludge....then replace both elements as they get really gunked up!!
What was his point in turning off the cold water.@@MrLuigi-oi7gm
You may want to watch the RV geeks do this. They add a sprayer in the hole the anode rod goes in & a camera through the hole to inspect the tank. Oh they also use vinegar to help with hard water buildup. Depending on your water source you may want to do that as well. Matt Risinger did a video on cutting open some water heaters that I suspect doing a full flush & using vinegar would have helped.
If you are like me and don't want to waste all that hot water, you can set the gas valve to pilot or shut the power off and then take a shower to use up a lot of the hot water before draining it so you don't waste all that hot water you paid to heat. If you have an electric water heater this is also a benefit so you can make sure the water isn't heating up again after you shut the power off because you will destroy the heating elements if the power is still on for whatever reason such as a mislabeled breaker or wiring problem.
Awesome! Thanks for the great video about how to flush a water heater. We have the exact same kind, A. O. Smith.
Good video. Several months ago, I flushed my tank and installed a new anode rod. While I had the anode rod out I flushed the tank again by spraying my water hose in the hole where the anode rod fits. A lot more stuff that looked like sand came out. I changed the heating elements and thermostats too. For sixty-five dollars, I replaced everything serviceable.
My tank is 17 years old. I decided to replace everything while It was empty. It had not been serviced before. All that was left of the original anode rod was basically some wires. The tank is working like a new one. The recovery time is better. One of the original heating elements must have been bad. My tank is an electric AO Smith installed in 2002.
I plan to flush it once a year, before too much sentiment builds up. The anode rod protects the glass lined tank. Replacing the anode rod will prolong the life of a hot water tank. I have four hot water tanks, so learning how to maintain them has saved me hundreds of dollars.
I placed a remote controlled switch with timer inline with our recirculating pump. When we need hot water we use the remote to turn on the recirculating pump. We gave instant hot water in two minutes. The timer keeps it on for two hours. Our electric bill dropped 27 percent the first month. Although the recirculating pump only requires 35 watts, the concrete slab was acting like a giant heat sink and the returning water was cooling enough to cause the 4500 watt heating elements to turn on to reheat the water.
Dual heating element kit with thermostats. $29.00
New anode rod. $36.00.
Inline remote controlled timer. $13.00. ( since 2007, the total savings has been a couple of thousand dollars ) we purchased two more timers just to get some additional remotes for the laundry room and kitchen. Make sure you get the same frequency as your original remote.
Wow, you're lucky to have all the smarts to do that! :)
@@alive-awake and we are lucky he shared all that AND we happened to watch THIS video AND read comments! LOL .. FATE.
When the anode rod disintegrates doesn’t it just key on the bottom?
I wouldn't have spent 2 cents fixing an old water heater. It's at the END of its life span. When they burst, its a mess. I replace mine every 10 years regardless of condition.
Stuart Bear , when the tank burst, it cannot be repaired. If replacing the water heater every ten years works best for you, keep doing that.
Awesome video! I'm going to change my tank dip tube, so i will also Flush my Water Heater at that time. Thanks
I usually do this once a year. I'm on a well so it is never bad. I never have turned on the hot water in a sink but it looks like a good idea to help with the air in the line. Thanks for the tip.
Very informative and helpful.
Clear, concise instructions! Worked perfectly thank you! 😊
Glad to hear that! Thanks for watching and commenting!
This is next on my list of things to do after my furnace. Word of Advice, you are the best. Keep the videos coming.
Thanks Kao Vue! I am planning on it ;)
I'm a licensed contractor and I don't recommend shutting off the water to flush just hook up the hose and drain for 5 mins. and that will be a perfect flush and you should do this once a year.
Why? And are you saying don't drain the tank first? Just leave the cold water inlet on the entire time? Doesn't exactly make sense to me. Even in this video, he produced additional sediment having emptied the tank first. If this is supposed to be a given, your one sentence recommendation is somewhat ambiguous. My best guess is you are saying empty the tank first then turn the cold water valve back on do a single continuous flush. Is this what you mean? If you don't mind me saying, it would be kind of you if you desire to make a recommendation you could include your rational behind it. After all, doing as he/this video suggests (multiple mini flushes), seems it would be more effective in removing the maximum amount of sentiment in the tank. So why recommend otherwise? I'm curious to know as I want to do this right the first time. Thanks!
@@Shiloh2rtn If I'm not mistaken, the cold water inlet on these water heaters go down a tube/pipe to the bottom of the tank so it doesn't mix with the hot water out. By leaving the inlet valve open when you drain you're going to agitate and loosen the sediment at the bottom and flush it out. Especially if it's one that has been maintained. I like to close mine personally so I can see what comes out of the hose. Then I'll flush more with the valve open to be certain all is gone. At least a vast majority is.
@@Dorain1969 That's part of the point I don't understand. It takes a very long time to drain my tank via gravity but fills very fast. So in my thinking, sufficient agitation would be minimized opposed to having the tank fully drained first, then rapidly splashing water into the tank to suspend any existing particles. The commenter I responded to said he doesn't recomend this method. I want to know why. Anyway, I followed the video maker's method. But despite the whole process, I still hear the popping sound (that started 5 days ago) when the water is heated. However, it is not as bad! So I was thinking about re-draining the tank yet again and see if I can get more out. However, the sediment really wasn't bad on first drain. Hard to know if that's good or bad. Anyway, thanks for your input.
I think that the reason that he did the flush completely was because he was doing the anode replacement, though I am not sure it is necessary to completely drain for this. He said he was going to do it but he didn't show that process. If I was just going to flush it, I would leave the cold water inlet on for two reasons. One, to keep the pressure pushing out sediment so that it is less likely to get clogged or you know it is clogged and not just drained. Second is that it would keep you from having to disturb the cold water inlet valve. I would assume that a plumber visit is required if that leaks, so I wouldn't want to mess with it if I could avoid.
@@Dorain1969 You are mistaken in assuming all water heaters have cold water inlets at the top. I have many hot water heaters and most are side closest to bottom fed. These are my preferred type. I believe they are the best. I also believe they stir the sediment best and I personally would leave the water on while flushing and it does take longer than a few minutes.
THANK YOU AGAIN. AS ALWAYS MOST EDUCATIVE. REGARDS
Make sure you have a good washer in the hose end hook up. 2) do not open most drain valves all the way, it will come out completely and scald you. 3) On electric water heaters look for a switch box between the water heater and the breaker. 4) put a weight on the hose end at the drain.
Great video with detailed instructions! Very helpful! Thanks
Of all the videos I saw on flushing water heaters yours was the best. Even the professional videos could not compare to yours. Very thorough. Good Job!
Really liked the video - Thanks!
You’re the reason I drained my water heater and thank goodness that I did. It probably had not been drained for 5years. It was shocking how much came out. Giant clumps. Many thanks for taking the time to make this video!
Excellent. Thank you.
Being a lady on my own, with the help of this great tutorial video I was able to flush my hot water tank...that needed a flush badly. I feel confident now to do this yearly. Thank you.
Me too! Although my plumber said every 6 months is better.
Same! This is the 4th video I watched and the first to have all the details. The first one didn't mention turning off the cold water, opening up the hot, or even how to stir it up. He was a plumbing "professional" and just drained a few gallons out. He wants to create more customers that need a new hot water heater! LOL
Same 👍
Very impressive ladies !! I Respect that..
Since you asked for feedback... many people think they have Hot Water Heaters and may not have caught your correct terminology "Water Heater". Your water heater has a Piezoelectric starter it might have helped some viewers to see what to do with it. Also discuss replacing the Thermocouple and what the symptoms of a bad one are. Using a match to start older pilot lights could save someone some trouble. At least if the Piezoelectric starter won't work starting the pilot with a match may help until repairs can be made. Could you help some viewers know that if the Thermocouple goes bad the gas valve will not release gas to start the burner. I like your videos and I'm a Subscriber.
Great job friend! It helped me with mine! Thanks
Thank you! Glad to hear the video helped!
Thank you very much for sharing detail how to do it. Love love love it.
When we have to flush a tank I like to leave the cold water on for just a minute or so, this helps blast out any junk that may be sitting in the valve or around it out and gets the water flowing, then I shut the supply off.
Ah, very good suggestion! Thank you :) I'll have to start doing that too.
Good job and well explained. Thanks
Great video..I would like suggest once the tank is drained, change out the drain spigot on the water heater for a regular garden type spigot that can be purchased at any home improvement store.. The gardened type valve opens wider to allow more chunks of mineral and debris come out.
I think, since you're showing how to turn the pilot off, you should re-light it. Also, there's probably debris in that drain-valve seat so you might reverse-flush the valve; blow water back in, past the seat. Most plumbers seem to advise "NEVER cycle the overflow valve" but I do it anyway. I figure that, if it leaks, it was crusty and needs replacing. Therefore, it might be adviseable to just replace it after the fluse...or before. :-) Good Job!
any hvac issues i have i come to this channel. this man knows his stuff. such a blessing having someone like yourself on youtube. hope you enjoyed the holidays
Some plumbers are saying, water heaters should not be flushed. who do we believe? My old one lasted 17 years without flushing.
Another great video. Thank you for sharing!
Good to hear that! :) Thank you for watching and commenting!
As usual my water heater was very clean, almost nothing came out but I flush it every year and have a water filter on my main plus a sleeve casing on my well. We even have a green sand system in line. By opening the hot water line in the kitchen and leaving the pressure valve open until after the tank was full and up to pressure there was no air in the lines. While living in Vegas for 9 years even flushing didn't help. Changing the Anode ever year did help but the average life of a water heater was still only 4 to 5 years.
Very hesitant dealing with a gas hot water heater but fantastic video--it all worked great. I had to flush 6-8 times (was probably not done before we moved in). THANKS!!!
Very nice video
Good video, but anyone who drains there water heater needs to have a hose bib cap to put on the drain, if the sediment settles under the seat of the drain valve and you can't get the water to stop flowing ,when the valve is cut off. Its very common to have your valve leaking after you drain the tank , especially if it's a tank that hasn't been drained in a few years.
Well explained
Your videos are great! I find personally the only way to get out all the sediment is to crush it down and flush it out , Impossible to do with the water heater installed. Usually the chunks are to big to leave the drain valve!
great instruction. thanks!
Great detailed video! It was the first one I watched, but by being so detailed I don't need to watch another. All questions were answered regarding draining my tank. I really appreciate the video, now I just need to do it. Thank you Jay, and thank you Word of Advice TV, great job!
I heard to add vinegar also while flushing. Do YOU recommend and if so, do I pour it through the rod plug?
Really useful. Thanks for the post
You're welcome! Thank you for watching!
Good video and as a service tech for a utility for years, then a District Inspector doing Digsafe i noticed something. I seem to notice after watermain or service replacement when pressure went from str pressure to no pressure within months they were replaced. I don't know if it was just cheap ones or not. When you went to a str where the watermain was replaced if you used the street regularly you would see this. Like to know if I'm wrong or not. Also loss of high efficiency heating equipment if in older gas systems is do too timing out due to what's called saturation problem.
Good video. At what point do you turn the electricity to the hot water heater on from the breaker panel, after flushing is complete? Would it be before you turn the heater from "pilot" to "on"?
I can tell you're a Joe blow home owner wanting to make a name for yourself on UA-cam . I've been a licensed plumber for 45years plus. Most people don't realize the bottom of the tank is concave, meaning domed in the center. The way he proposes flushing only clears the sediment near the drain valve and as some one else commented the drain valve he has is worthless to flush the w. heater. A ball valve, preferable full port is needed.
I drained mine, bought a piece of 1" hose, put a pipe nipple in the end of the ball valve. Pushed the 3' or less piece of hose on. Putting a funnel in the opposite end. I picked up 4to6 gal of vinegar, depending on the size of the W. H. pour it in the funnel. Let it set as long as 4 hours.
Then put your hose on to the floor drn. Shut off the T&P valve and other faucets. Open and close the ball valve in 5 to 10 second intervals to surge the bottom and raise the sediment. You'll see a lot more sediment in the bucket. Do the surging til the water is clear.
In my case we have a lime/calcium deposit in the water heater and it has a gurgling/ boiling sound when the burner is on. Do the method I suggest and get rid of the boiling sound and and years of life to your water heater !
@Bob Prins ...Question ...If you were going to replace the Anode Rod at the same time you flush...Could just pour in the Vinegar into the Anode Rod 'Hole" on top...
Is the bottom of tank concave or convex? Convex would be domed in the center and concave would be not domed or "caved in" in the center. BIG difference. Concave is an inward curve and convex is a domed our outward curve in the center.
And you Bob I can tell are a prick! And just because you've been a plumber for 45 years plus doesn't prove much to me. Give this guy some credit for trying to help other people who are save a few bucks from plumbers who overcharge for their services. Just saying Bob, how much would you charge to do this service?
Good to hear someone call this appliance by it's correct name "water heater" and not "hot water heater". Why would anyone need to heat hot water? It's like saying cold water cooler.
This was an excellent video,..very clear and slow enough for a novice to understand. The best I've seen so far...thank you! I now feel I can do this job myself without having to spend money on a plumber.
The video is very informative except I would add one step to the whole issue after you drain the water the first time and there's no water left in the water heater I would remove the entire shutoff valve from the actual unit itself and put a wire inside there and stir up the bottom to get any of the hard water debris to break up and then reattach the valve with the hose on it and then turn on the water and you should get a lot more stuff because the hard water will make almost like a pan of just solid hard water that will not come out of a hose
And make sure you open up a hot water faucet, or two, farthest away from the water heater to bleed off the air when you refill the tank prior to lighting it.
Has to be the closest one per manufacturer
Thank you!
I have watched many video's and yours was the best of all made it sound much simpler them most. Thank you.
0
Hby
Great demo
Excellent! Great details, layman terms used, and you touch on all the "what if's." Great, great, great, job!
There are quite a few plumbers that believe for homeowners to flush their water heaters can be just as damaging as not flushing them at all. They contend that the usual process only removes a very small amount of the calcifications and sediments that may be present. The valves in most of these water heaters are plastic and being disturbed after a couple of years may can result in leaks. The pressure valve on top which is usually flipped to relieve the vacuum created by the draining water is also prone to fail to seal after being disturbed. What they claim is that negatives do not justify the benefits of flushing .
Older experienced plumbers, like The Grumpy Plumber, will tell you DON'T FLUSH YOUR WATER HEATER.
Today i drained mine by following your instructions and it went perfectly. Even after turning on the hot water faucet inside, the water didn’t flow until i opened the pressure valve. So those saying that you should never open this valve, are wrong!
Good advice, thanks.
@12:00 - You should remove the aerator from the faucet to prevent sediment from clogging it.
It probably wouldn't hurt doing that throughout the house.
At 10:00, you make a comment I could not understand. Someone else mentioned the same thing below. You said that something Had gotten stuck in the exit valve and it wasn't draining. Then you said you "blew through it backwards". But some of us don't understand what you mean by that. Please clarify. It would be so helpful to understand how you forced whatever was stuck inside the valve to pass through. Thanks!
Sorry about the confusion! I simply put my hand over the outlet of the hose with the opening still open (so that I don't put my lips directly on the metal) and blew into it backwards. That was all it needed to clear out the debris that was plugging it.
When you stir up. You make sure you get it all out, or your gonna have nightmares for a while with all your screens in your faucets🙂
Good video
Thank you Sir for showing me the way to do this. You made it look so easy , and step by step helps alot. Thanks again and more power to you.
Hi Jay,
Great video as usual! I have a Bradford-White 75-gallon gas water heater that is from 1997, so 23 years old. If you don’t mind, can I pester you with a few questions (I would assume others might have similar concerns).
1. I would like to drain it but am concerned that given the age draining might be risky, it could expose some weak areas and potentially cause a leak. Is it best to let “sleeping dogs lie”? It works fine but maybe it is taking a lot of energy if there is a lot of sediment build up? I did check and water does come out freely from the drain if I open it up (it’s a brass fitting with a chrome handle).
2. If I do drain it, I could drain into a sump pit or run the hose up and out to the yard through a basement window. If I drain into the sump, would the sediment clog the sump pump? If I drain out the window will I need a pump - the window is about 8 feet above the level of the heater drain.
3. Should I proactively replace the heater given its age? It seems fine, but if it leaks would it be a burst and a flood in the basement? Or is it more likely to be a slow leak, which I could shut off and give me time to get a new one. I did ask Bradford, the guy on the phone said he had never seen a catastrophic leak, that it is always a slow leak. Of course, trying to replace a heater during an emergency is setting myself up for no time or leverage to get a good deal.
4. If I get a new one what is your opinion on a tankless one? I know they are more expensive to buy and install and the payback in reduced energy bills might be minimal. But I am more concerned about their reliability or other operational drawbacks.
Thanks!
Not sure why you turned off the water to the heater as the water flow would be a better flush than just the gravity of the water in the tank when you open the valve with the hose to the drain or in my case out into my yard through a door. I would have a tub at the end if the hose to watch for clear water flow then turn off the hose valve. Then in my case I turn back on my water heater timer and I'm back in service.
Flush 5 gallons, let it settle for 15 minutes, and then flush it again to remove the stirred up sediment.
Could anyone testify if this stopped the rumbling in their hot water lines? Also great video, thank you.
Excellent video with all clear details 🙏👍. Just one quick clarification. During the final stages to stir up the sediments, you turned ON the cold water into the tank for 30 seconds and kept the hot water faucet in the sink ON too. I saw someone else in another video saying that at this time the hot water faucet in the sink should be turned OFF to build pressure enabling the tank to stir up the sediments. Please clarify
Awesome vid....
excellent step by step and my wife and I were able to save plumber fees and did it ourself. Did have a problem getting much "action" until I opened the overflow valve - then it was all downhill from there. Thanks for saving us a bunch - our tank had not ever been drained and we have been fretting it, so now, we're good. thanks, again for a really easy to follow step thru.
Awesome, thank you so much
im gonna do this on my water tank, thank you sir for doing this. it educates the viewer like me.
Thanks 👍
Great walk thru video. Started to drain water heater yesterday but igniter not working and didn't want hassle of finding pilot. Now I know I don't have to turn pilot off.