Stock up on refrigerator water filters! Use promo code YOUFILTER15 to save 15% on select water filters (excludes LG filters). Valid until Sept 30th, 2024. www.amresupply.com/catalog/Water-Filters-637176-AK1V
Yes, this is the correct method. I change my electric heaters to a ball valve, full port. I have had to run wire or a 3/8 " water line inside to agitate the sediment. Also for the thrifty, turn off the water heater and have a bath before the flush.
You’re smart. Can you come to our house and do this to our Rheem HWHr? We tried to do this guy’s flush today because our current 1 yr. old Rheem replaced an ONLY 4 YR. OLD Rheem still under Warranty that totally crapped out (And WHAT a song and dance getting this accomplished through Rheem🎵 ☹️) Gawd - What a pain-in-the-….. plumbing is.
I've seen some videos unprofessionally rushed trying to show what you just did....This was more understanding and helpful. Thank you, everything worked out well.👍
Thanks for showing us how to flush our water heaters. I plan to do this, since I have some time -- because of being unemployed during Corona Virus. Good way to save money and protect the unit.
You're welcome Poe! We're glad that you found the video helpful! If you're curious we have many more videos on our channel. Here's one on Multimeters and Electricity Basics ua-cam.com/video/r_migcta_Is/v-deo.html
Very helpful video- thanks! I get parts and supplies from Amre all the time- they are awesome! Knowledgeable staff and fast delivery and I love to support a local company.
I’ve seen 30-50 year old tank water heaters. The common ground of all was filtered water. They all had 5 micron filtration prior to water entering the tank. The amount of times the tank fires up is another factor. Pressure is a huge factor. Last common factor is bonding and ground.
Apparently MY WATER is two parts dirt to One part 💧 water. 😤 Or else Rheem electric HWH’rs are the biggest piles of crap on the residential market today.
So I would recommend replacing any plastic valves with a brass valve. I have always attached the hose and open the drain. Valve first before turning off supply to heater. After you drain the heater adding a full port hose bib will speed up draining and cleaning in the future
Thanks for watching. You are right that brass valves are the way to go. In this video we show how to replace the drain valve and also outline the 3/4" full port ball valve as an option.
I don't understand why in the video the back flush is done by opening a HOT water faucet. I would assume that one should open a COLD water faucet, since there shouldn't be any pressure or water in the hot water pipe coming to the faucet - the water supply to the tank is cut off and the tank feeds the hot water pipe feeding the faucet. Am I missing something?
Thank you for watching! You have a good eye and that is one error that made it into the final video. When we filmed that shot we naturally showed did it in a way so the arm wouldn't block the shot. In this case what looked visually good while filming, created a continuity error that went unnoticed until after filming is complete. Unfortunately we can't change that shot now without deleting the video.
@@junkim5331 If you need to do a back flush, yes. A back flush with hot water won't work because you won't have any hot water to use, your tank will be empty.
Thank you. I had alot of mineral deposits. So toward the end I would open the water valve for a few seconds, bust up the minerals while the spigot remained open. Seemed to work pretty good.
@@AmreSupply pushing water back into the tank as you showed was the biggest help to get it going. Had to do it about 3 seperate times. ❤️ Now the tank seems to reheat faster and hasnt overheated like before.
@@morriskl3 >> Happy it all worked out for you. Our ‘draining’ did not go well. Perhaps it was this pressure release valve on the top of our electric HWHr…. Hubby and I are consulting a divorce atty tomorrow…😮 (😉)
I always have to lift the little valve at the top of the heater to get the water draining but when I do it works great. Just dont see it much in these videos. I've always needed to do it though even when it was brand new.
Sometimes the relief valve may not close properly after, I've had several that slow dripped after opening as you suggested, all on older units requiring replacing. I don't use them that way any more.
A couple of observations when you backflush, shouldn't you use cold water? The hot water will be off at the haterheater. Also shouldn't you use a different faucet than you are using to vent the hot side?
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times / locations, and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Thanks for watching. As long as the water isn't extremely hot then it should be fine to drain into the sump pump basin. If the water is over 60°C then it might damage sump pump components.
Thank you! As others have said, you provide more helpful advice than other guides. And your explanations are very clear and helpful. The cross-sections views are really great.
Thanks for this very clear instruction. Question... We have an American ProLine 40 gallon tank. It's now about 7 years old. The makes a "banging" noise whenever we run hot water for more than a minute or so. There are no problems, just the noise. The banging never occurred in our old water heater (also a 40 gallon) and only started about 3-4 years into use on the current water heater. We don't have an expansion tank and never have. We suspect that an expansion tank may solve the noise problem, but will probably not bother unless the banging is going to make the water heater fail sooner than without adding one. By the way we do have a water softener and the water entering the tank is softened. Thoughts? Should we be concerned and do something about the water heater banging noise?
Thanks for watching. If the banging happens when you stop the water flow, then that would be water hammer. In your case it seems like the noise happens after water runs for a minute, so it is likely air bubbles rising to the surface and pushing sediment around the inside of the tank. Doing a flush can help reduce the sediment and might reduce the noise.
We have an electric Rheem with a pressure release valve on top. We followed your instructions and left that pressure valve alone - opening a HW faucet in the house instead. No water would drain. So we decided to back flush, but needed one ☝🏼more female end to run to HWHr. We couldn’t get the female end of the hose loose from the male outdoor spigot. Rusted into eternity. 🤨 NOW, what to do? After a nasty fight, including the temptation to take a wrench to each other, we opened up the cold water valve and flushed about 25 gallons of nice, Softened Hot Water into the yard. We still have to replace the hose spigot with the female end we needed that is permanently rusted to a garden hose (Did I mention hubby tends to TIGHTEN those nuts 🔩 and bolts until almost stripped?) BUT, the source water pipe to the garden spigot won’t turn off, even though the valves below the spigot are turned off…😞🤦🏻♀️ Yeah. Do-it-yourself home maintenance is freaking worth it. 🙇🏻♀️
Thanks for sharing your experience. With time, parts become worn out, rusted and it most certainly adds more variables into any maintenance or repair. It is hard for us to cover all the potential scenarios that can emerge but we did do a video on showing how to remove a broken plastic drain valve: ua-cam.com/video/4m1KxuHewHY/v-deo.html Still we might do a video in the future talking about what to do with stripped threads and other common mishaps.
If you put the Pilot light in the “pilot” position when starting the process, why did you have to relight the pilot at the end? Or was that just a filming error?
Thanks for watching. In the video the gas was shut off and the temperature was set to the "pilot setting" which means it is the lowest setting. At this point the pilot flame and burner are complete disconnected from the gas while the tank is being drained.
At time of installation have the plumber replace that highly restrictive hose bib. A 3/4 nipple, full port IP valve and hose adapter will turn a future lengthy flush job into a fast effective walk in the park.
Thanks for watching! Yes the full port ball valve works great. For anyone wondering these are the parts needed: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
I did this today. Took me 5 hrs! Had to keep jabbing a coat hanger in there to get all debris out. Got about 2 gallons of junk. What do I use to remove the drain valve? My wrench wouldn’t do it.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for watching! Draining can be quite slow with a buildup of debris. In a lot of cases the drain valve might be pretty stuck. To help out you can make an extension for the wrench. If you put a piece of copper pipe overtop of the wrench and extend the handle by 2 feet, then you'll have more leverage. You'll notice that it might take a bit to "break it loose" as the drain valve threads are likely starting to get fused. Once you get it turning it might still take some effort to turn each time but will get easier after a few rotations.
Design Studio it’s 10 yrs old, but I’m the only one here, so not a lot of use. My male neighbor and I tried for hrs to remove the anode and it was a no go. Pipe wrench, bar, you name it.
Design Studio I saw something about draining them every couple of years and I hadn’t EVER done it, so I tried and it was blocked with calcium deposits and mineral sludge. My lower element was UNDER all that so it wasn’t efficient. If you clean it and replace the anode, they’ll last a lot longer.
Thanks for watching. It depends on the valve. The standard drain valve is a threaded valve and is at an angle, so a piece of wire could bend around that corner. You can see this here: ua-cam.com/users/shortsC3-eTMsbO40 If you do this just make sure you have some sort of container underneigh.
It could help to use some chemical like CLR or other had water cleaners to take out some deposits in the tank. They also use vinegar to flush out the hard water deposits.
Thanks for watching. Using something like vinegar is a way to help chemically break apart scale from the tank. The flushing will be mechanical removal of sediment.
Question and sorry if this is a dumb question. My water valve is corroded to the point that I can’t turn it off. Could I still do the flush with the cold water running and still follow the rest of your instructions. Also let’s say I can’t shut off the main line water to the house either.
Thanks for watching, and that is a perfectly valid question. If there's no way for you to shut off the incoming water supply then its likely that your tank would drain slower than the refill rate from your cold water supply line. Drain valves do not have large openings and often there is debris that will slow down the draining. So if your drain valve drains at 0.5 - 1 gallons per minute and your cold water supply line fills at 1.5+ gallons per minute then you wouldn't be able to drain the tank completely. Still you'd be cycling some of the water and some of the debris might flush out during that process. So you could try draining some water and monitor what comes out of the hose to see if any sediment is being removed.
I'm curious how you're able to backflush from another sink by opening the hot valve🤔. Since the cold inlet valve on the water heater is closed there is no pressure on the hot side. I think you clearly meant to open the cold side to backflush. Minor oversight, awesome video!
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye! This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
You can add annotations to your video using UA-cam editor. Just find where you mention using hit water and add a big message on the screen saying "*COLD WATER* SORRY" or something. Good luck 👍
@@joepolidoro429 UA-cam used to have Annotations as a feature but disabled it when they unified the experience with mobile devices. There are links (cards) that can pop up in the top right corner but these are not the same as annotations and aren't visible in the same way.
Question here please. My tank has 8 year warranty, I'm on the 9th. Ive never drained it until now. I agitated the bottom many times and finally got the tank to run clear. Problem is inside hot water is still off colour. I live in Vancouver, BC for location. Evety plumber says I need a new tank. Is there more I can do?
Thanks for watching. There might have been some very fine sediment that is now floating in the tank. After a shower or two that will likely disperse. If the tank is still heating effectively you might not need a new one. Has the water started to run clear now?
If I have already cut off the water to the hot water heater, and I am back-flushing, wouldn't I want to turn on the cold water, not the hot, so I'd get more pressure for the backflush?
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Thanks for watching. You will hear many different recommendations as this really varies on how hard the water is and your location. If you think you have hard water, you might have to flush it yearly up to even every 6 months. When you flush you can check to see the amount of sediment that is removed.
Thanks for watching. It is more necessary with hard water but it's still good to check. You can remove the anode rod to look at the degree of corrosion. A heavily corroded anode rod is a good indicator that there will be more sediment in the tank. ua-cam.com/video/hTJv67imgaE/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching. When flushing the tank, it can be most helpful to drain the tank fully and then turn on the cold water supply to spay water onto the sediment at the bottom of the tank. A back flush can be done when the water isn't draining, as a back flush will help clear any sediment that blocked the drain valve. For a back flush you'll need the drain valve open.
Thanks for watching. Turning the water heater off is needed no mater the type so it's not trying to heat while you flush the tank. The cold water supply would need to be shut off if you are following this type of flush in this video. You can leave the cold water supply open and do a flush / while it fills. This way you won't need to drain the entire tank. It is just another method. Hard to say what is most effective as this really depends on the amount of sediment there is.
Thanks for watching. If you don't have a floor drain there are two options. Either drain into a buck and get a good workout in by manually emptying the bucket every time it fills, or buy a small transfer pump & hose to pump the water to the nearest drain.
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times / locations, and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
do you think it is a better solution to drain the water in tank and add high purity citric acid to dissolve the scale? Like to clean scale in pot, it might be a terminated solution.
Thanks for watching. There are various opinions on this but using something like vinegar is a way to help chemically break apart scale from the tank. The flushing will be mechanical removal of sediment.
@@AmreSupply : considering the size of scale inside the tank and the tiny hole of drain valve, it's hard to move them out of tank by flushing. Vinegar is ok, but believe citric acid is better for its high acid value.
@@悟入木三分 It is this reason why some people decide to install a 3/4" full port ball valve. This is covered in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching. In some cases the shut off valves are hidden behind a panel or are farther down the line. Every setup is different so it's hard to say where you'll find it exactly.
We bought a house w/original water heater from ‘08. It seems to be running ok but is it too late to flush and replace the element? It’s also in a closet on the second floor :/. Thanks!
Thanks for watching. Even if the water heater is 13 years old, you can still flush the water heater and replace the electric heating elements. Unfortunately we don't have any videos on electric water heater repairs yet. This is something we'll be filming in the future.
@@debconley2310 If you have a long enough garden hose you might be able to drain the water heater into a sink or bathtub. Once you get a siphon going it should continue to drain.
@@AmreSupply thank you. I believe that the second floor bathroom is higher than the water heater so I’m thinking it may not drain properly? I so wished it was in the garage :/!
@@debconley2310 Depending on the height of the water heater tank, any water above the drain will help push the water down. So if you have a bathtub or shower drain, as long as that is below the height of the majority of the water, then it will drain. If you are only replacing the top element then you won't need to drain as much water. Alternatively if needed the element can be replaced without draining the tank. We don't have a video on this but this can be searched for. If you have a good airlock then no water will drain as you remove the element since no air is available to displace the water.
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Hi Lisa, thank you for watching. It's possible that there is an airlock inside of the tank. Open a hot water faucet somewhere in the home, and then open the cold water supply. This should allow the air to escape and let new water fill the tank. As the tank is filling up it will take a while but you will eventually see water flowing from the opened hot water faucet. At this point, wait until all the air is out of the system and the water is flowing smoothy. This means the tank is full.
@@GaryYoung-eq1ph If the bathtub drain is located below the water heater then you'll be able to drain the water heater as the pressure inside the tank will help push the water out. In this case the majority of the tank is higher than the sides of the bathtub. If the bathtub is located on a higher floor, then you won't be able to drain using a hose and would have to fill up buckets separately.
Thanks for watching. It can take hours to drain the tank. This depends on how much sediment there is, or how much restriction there is around the opening. It's not a quick process
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Well thank you for this- we just lost 2 of 3 jobs careers because of the gov and pharm control fear bullying excuse the leaders we trusted are shoving into our skin and children-so I will look at my tank this weekend and do it myself thank you!
Hi Greg that is an excellent question. Overall adding vinegar is safe and can help with removing the mineral buildup. Its best to avoid other harsh chemicals or detergents.
Thanks for watching. In some cases the shut off valves are hidden behind a panel or are farther down the line. Every setup is different so it's hard to say where you'll find it exactly.
Thanks for watching. Hard water will contain more minerals and can speed up the process. Best to check the anode in case its almost dissolved: ua-cam.com/video/hTJv67imgaE/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching. There are products available but people have found vinegar works as it is an acid and will dissolve the minerals. There's also more info in general here: inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Water_Heater_Scale_Removal.php#DelimeKit
@@leoperez2566 Citric acid is less acidic than vinegar but would still help dissolve the minerals. It also depends on how diluted it is as this will determine how potent it is.
Just an observation.....if you need to back wash with cold water, remember your hot water is shut off and nothing will happen if you use hot water. Also it is a water heater not a hot water heater.
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Thanks for watching. It depends. Some people don't have any problem for unrestricted flow. Others do. This is why many people have installed a full port ball valve which is shown in this video: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
It depends on what you consider hot. If water in the tank was only 110°F and someone wanted water that was 140°F then it would technically be a hot water heater (turning hot water into even hotter water) We're quite aware that people often refer to it as a hot water heater. In our videos we mentioned water heater and hot water tank to try to cover the variation.
Thank you Peter! We try to keep this same format to all of our videos. The goal is to provide the direct instructions but make sure the "why" is covered as well.
*NOTE* At 2:47 the hot water handle is opened. This is an error and the cold water handle should have been opened instead. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing). This wasn't noticed until after filming was complete.
@@UncleFjester Thanks for watching. Removing the video would mean it would lose all interactions, comments, and views and that is something you don't get back. For a reshoot, the error would have to more significant than the difference between the hot and cold handles. This is something that someone can figure out and is why we put this note.
Yep I saw that was going to comment as if you are back flushing and of course have the water to the tank off then use the hot water to supply water back words well oops 😬 not going to work. It would be a good idea to make sure a faucet is open on the hot side to allow the water into the tank.
I and my brother that lives next door to me built our homes at the same time. We put in the same identical hot water heaters, ( Electric & the same Brand ) I had to replace mine after 15 years, my brothers hot water tank is still going strong seven years later. The only difference in our hot water tanks is I flushed mine every year, my brother has never flushed his. The plumber that helped me change it asked me on the phone how much have I flushed it out through the years, I asked him why was that a factor, he explained that water heaters that have been changed by him the majority were changed had been flushed out on a regular basis. I stopped flushing mine. Both my brother and I are on the same well water also, sharing a deep 600 ft deep well.
The back flush with a washing machine advice may have just saved me over $650. My hot water was slow and had low pressure and about a year ago I drained my 16 year old electric HWH. Well that drain was iffy and the low pressure issues came back. The drain valve was clogged and nothing could flow. By putting a washing machine line on a hose, opening a valve in the house and backflushing the tank I was able to get it flowing and flushed. Crud came out and my hot water pressure is like new! Maybe I can get another 5 years out of my HWH now. Yay!! Remember if you do it to open a valve in the home to allow the back flowing water a place to go and to then drain your tank. It took doing it three times on my old HWH.
If it stops draining and still not empty , just lift the hose up to your height and shake a few times then blow like inflating a balloon if necessary ; OR shut off boiler drain and open water supply, that will move that big chunk of sediment out of the way stirring the bottom of the tank. I usually just connect the hose and open boiler drain, the chunks might break loose with the pressure, and you can hear them rattling in the bottom then combine on and off of water supply and boiler drain till you get good free flow and no more sediment, . Believe me , I'm a plumber and it's been times I had to remove lower heating element to be able to push sediment out, never been flushed in ten, 15 or 20 years.
Our hot water heater [HWH] had not been flushed for more years than I want to admit. Following the directions in this video I got next to no where. Blowing cold water in from the washing machine cold water point 6 times into the HWH didn’t do the trick. So I shut off the HWH drain valve and let my drain hose [laid outside the house] drain until empty. Then I stood on a ladder and using a funnel that fit inside the hose shut off valve on the end of it - I filled the hose with white vinegar. When the hose was full, I shut off the valve on the end of the hose and reconnected it to the cold water hose for the washing machine. I then turned on the cold water to pressurize that hose, opened the valve at the end of the drain hose and then the drain valve on the HWH. In this sashion I blew about a pint of vinegar into the HWH. I did this twice and now the sediment has been disolved enough that water is flowing strongly out of the drain hose.
Thanks for sharing your experience! We try to give enough information to point people in the right direction but there are always cases that are more difficult than others. It's not surprising that after so many years without any flush that it took vinegar to help dissolve the sediment. Cheers.
As a plumber of over 20 years, the best way to get rid of sediment is to cut both copper lines drop that concrete filled water heater and install a new one. I have seen too much sediment run through the house clogging up all the fixtures.
@@AmreSupply I tell my customers if you start from the time the water heater is new you should be okay but if you go back in after a water has been sitting for even only 2 years you run the chance of distributing that lime and scale all over the house
First video I’ve seen showing to use a washer hose to clear the line!!! Genius!! I have a ton of problems with high calcium in appliances and this trick may help.
Thanks for watching. We're glad that you found it helpful. There is another option that can help in the future. Many people have found it helpful to install a full port 3/4" ball valve. This is shown in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
You are SO wrong! I just flushed my hot water heater and common sense told me NOTto shut off the water supply at the top of the tank. No need to turn on a sink spigot to allow air into the tank to help flush it. The incoming water does that much better than your idea. Plus, the water coming into the top of the heater pushes the bad stuff out the drain quicker and with more pressure than your sink spigot letting air in. Who made you an expert on this subject? I have been flushing hot water heaters for over 40 years problem free and never used your procedures.
Thank you for watching. We're glad you found a method that works for you. The fact that you have used your method for 40 years without problem shows that there is often more than one way to do these things but due to the difference in water hardness in different areas not all cases will be the same. As well there is no true consensus, if you ask 10 different plumbers you will get 10 different answers. Not sure if you watched the entire video or just stopped when you saw the water shut off. This method shown in this video covers draining the tank, backflushing if needed as well as opening the cold water supply to blast water into the tank.
what about using the air release valve in the side of the tank. Don’t you need to open that too? I had seen orher videos do that. Can you explain the process why do or nor do that? Thanks
After performing these steps, why do i not get hot water in the kitchen anymore? I have to turn on the hot water in the (further away) bathroom to get hot water in the kitchen. Confused. 🤷♂️
Thanks for watching. What you're describing is that the system is air-locked so it's best to double check that the shutoff valve on the cold supply line is opened.
I watched several videos to get multiple viewpoints. This video was an excellent place to sum up what I'd learned. It was consistent with others while short and to the point.
I’m glad you caught that because I was about to correct you myself. That would be problematic. I generally fill up the tank and listen to know that it’s filled. Than I plugged the hot water heater on and let it heat up some for about 15 to 20 minutes than I turn on the faucets. Turning on the faucets in this fashion not only gets the air out but the sediment in the pipes which is why you usually will see brown water for about 50 seconds or so. If you turn on the water before filling the tank you could damage the hot water heater.
Is it okay to use the water heater drain as an outdoor spigot line for rinsing purpose? The water heater at my property has a line connected to the drain that leads through the wall and outside spigot. Between the line looks be a converter because if I touch the line before it, the pipe is warm. But when you turn on the spigot outside it comes out cold. My tenants have been using it to rinse off beach sand off their dogs or items as we live in a beach community. Not a full flush out, its just a few minutes usage of water to wash of sand. Do you know if this is okay or is it likely to cause damage on the water heater?
Thanks for watching. If the water heater was supplying water to that outdoor spigot then it would also be warm. It is possible that it looks like it is connected but there is another line somewhere connected to the outdoor spigot. Regardless if you are draining water from the bottom of the water heater, you might get some sediment but you'd still be able to safely rinse off sand etc.
Can a broken outside spigot cause low water pressure in a house, My spigot does have a crack in it. I have no leaks in my home, water meter is remaining normal. But I have lost water pressure in my whole mobile home both hot and cold water. I replaced all faucets about a year ago and hot water tank as well.
Thanks for this. Question: I ended up doing the 20-second flush at least 8 times. Brown water every flush. Finally a friend gave me advice to keep valve open while cold water intake valve is open. At this point the outflow got a little more clear so I called it a night. Also I feel you kind of rushed the part about air flush after the water flush, before turning back on the heater.
Thanks for watching. Thank you for the feedback. Yes for filling the tank you'll have to run water out of a faucet until the water runs clear. This might might take some time.
Many water heaters come with a cheap plastic drain valve that's not nearly as good and well designed as the brass one you show in this video (even on water heaters approaching $1,000). What are the chances that my plastic drain valve will seal off after I do the flush? I can fully see mine not sealing off no matter how hard I tighten it.
Thanks for watching. It is partially how the valve is designed. Any valve (plastic or brass) runs the risk of debris preventing the rubber in the stopper from closing properly. A full port ball valve does not have this problem. This video explains this in more detail: ua-cam.com/users/shortsC3-eTMsbO40
I just did rained HWT this past weekend. One question, now one of my interior sinks will not run water. No hot, just a small stream of cold. Every other faucet words fine. I left the faucet on for 8hrs and nothing changed. Any advice?
Thanks for watching. It could be helpful to clear or replace the aerator as well you could, turn off the shutoff valve, disconnect the faucet supply lines and see if the how water flows once you open the shutoff valves. If the hot water flows when the faucet supply line is disconnected. then the blockage is in the faucet.
Thank you for not being like 99% of DIY videos. Others: annoying introduction with loud music, some logo spinning into the picture for a few minutes. My name is and I was born in... when I was... my girl said... then I went to... I got married... blah blah... subscribe to my channel... hit the like button... make sure to check out my video on how to actually drain your water heater.
Stock up on refrigerator water filters! Use promo code YOUFILTER15 to save 15% on select water filters (excludes LG filters). Valid until Sept 30th, 2024. www.amresupply.com/catalog/Water-Filters-637176-AK1V
Yes, this is the correct method. I change my electric heaters to a ball valve, full port. I have had to run wire or a 3/8 " water line inside to agitate the sediment. Also for the thrifty, turn off the water heater and have a bath before the flush.
Thanks for watching. We're glad to hear that you also made the upgrade to the ball valve! Cheers
You’re smart. Can you come to our house and do this to our Rheem HWHr?
We tried to do this guy’s flush today because our current 1 yr. old Rheem replaced an ONLY 4 YR. OLD Rheem still under Warranty that totally crapped out (And WHAT a song and dance getting this accomplished through Rheem🎵 ☹️)
Gawd - What a pain-in-the-….. plumbing is.
I've seen some videos unprofessionally rushed trying to show what you just did....This was more understanding and helpful. Thank you, everything worked out well.👍
Thank you, we're just glad people are finding these videos helpful!
I've been putting off learning how to do this for years (okay, decades). THANKS!
You're welcome! We're just happy to help!
Thanks for showing us how to flush our water heaters. I plan to do this, since I have some time -- because of being unemployed during Corona Virus. Good way to save money and protect the unit.
You're welcome Poe! We're glad that you found the video helpful! If you're curious we have many more videos on our channel. Here's one on Multimeters and Electricity Basics ua-cam.com/video/r_migcta_Is/v-deo.html
Very helpful video- thanks! I get parts and supplies from Amre all the time- they are awesome! Knowledgeable staff and fast delivery and I love to support a local company.
Thank you Levi for your kind words, we're just happy to help in-store or here on UA-cam!
I’ve seen 30-50 year old tank water heaters. The common ground of all was filtered water. They all had 5 micron filtration prior to water entering the tank. The amount of times the tank fires up is another factor. Pressure is a huge factor. Last common factor is bonding and ground.
Thanks for sharing. Its not common to have all the right factors in place for 50 years of service but it does happen.
Apparently MY WATER is two parts dirt to One part 💧 water.
😤
Or else Rheem electric HWH’rs are the biggest piles of crap on the residential market today.
So I would recommend replacing any plastic valves with a brass valve. I have always attached the hose and open the drain. Valve first before turning off supply to heater. After you drain the heater adding a full port hose bib will speed up draining and cleaning in the future
Thanks for watching. You are right that brass valves are the way to go. In this video we show how to replace the drain valve and also outline the 3/4" full port ball valve as an option.
Merci ! Excellent video .....just finished flushing and your video proved to be of immense assistance....now I can impress my friends !
You're welcome Glenn! We're glad that the video helped you out!
Thanks Amre Supply for such good video !
You're welcome Hemayet, we're glad you found it helpful!
I don't understand why in the video the back flush is done by opening a HOT water faucet. I would assume that one should open a COLD water faucet, since there shouldn't be any pressure or water in the hot water pipe coming to the faucet - the water supply to the tank is cut off and the tank feeds the hot water pipe feeding the faucet. Am I missing something?
Thank you for watching! You have a good eye and that is one error that made it into the final video. When we filmed that shot we naturally showed did it in a way so the arm wouldn't block the shot. In this case what looked visually good while filming, created a continuity error that went unnoticed until after filming is complete. Unfortunately we can't change that shot now without deleting the video.
So I should turn on my cold water, not hot water for the faucet?
@@junkim5331 If you need to do a back flush, yes. A back flush with hot water won't work because you won't have any hot water to use, your tank will be empty.
Got it! Opened the pressure value and it started draining!
Thank you for this video it was very informative I will have to start doing this on a regular basis
You're welcome we're just happy to help!
It took me a few hours to fine something useful. Thanks!
You're welcome, we're just happy to help!
Thank you. I had alot of mineral deposits. So toward the end
I would open the water valve for a few seconds, bust up the minerals while the spigot remained open. Seemed to work pretty good.
You're welcome, we're just happy to help!
@@AmreSupply pushing water back into the tank as you showed was the biggest help to get it going. Had to do it about 3 seperate times. ❤️ Now the tank seems to reheat faster and hasnt overheated like before.
@@morriskl3 >> Happy it all worked out for you. Our ‘draining’ did not go well. Perhaps it was this pressure release valve on the top of our electric HWHr….
Hubby and I are consulting a divorce atty tomorrow…😮
(😉)
I always have to lift the little valve at the top of the heater to get the water draining but when I do it works great. Just dont see it much in these videos. I've always needed to do it though even when it was brand new.
Thanks for watching. You are right that the relief valve can also be used to purge the air in the system.
Sometimes the relief valve may not close properly after, I've had several that slow dripped after opening as you suggested, all on older units requiring replacing. I don't use them that way any more.
A couple of observations when you backflush, shouldn't you use cold water? The hot water will be off at the haterheater. Also shouldn't you use a different faucet than you are using to vent the hot side?
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times / locations, and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
Great video!! Clear instructions. Able to flush my water heater.👍
Thank you Sairam! We're glad that the video helped you out!
What is the reason a water heater should be flushed?
My shower is coming out a yellowish brown color, would flushing it fix that?
Can we drain the water to the sump tanks drain?
Thanks for watching. As long as the water isn't extremely hot then it should be fine to drain into the sump pump basin. If the water is over 60°C then it might damage sump pump components.
Thank you! As others have said, you provide more helpful advice than other guides. And your explanations are very clear and helpful. The cross-sections views are really great.
You're welcome Boris, we try to make sure every video is straight forward and informative!
First step: install a drain in your basement floor
Thank you. Love the step by step explanation.
You're welcome, we're glad that you found the steps helpful!
Thanks for this very clear instruction. Question... We have an American ProLine 40 gallon tank. It's now about 7 years old. The makes a "banging" noise whenever we run hot water for more than a minute or so. There are no problems, just the noise. The banging never occurred in our old water heater (also a 40 gallon) and only started about 3-4 years into use on the current water heater. We don't have an expansion tank and never have. We suspect that an expansion tank may solve the noise problem, but will probably not bother unless the banging is going to make the water heater fail sooner than without adding one. By the way we do have a water softener and the water entering the tank is softened. Thoughts? Should we be concerned and do something about the water heater banging noise?
Thanks for watching. If the banging happens when you stop the water flow, then that would be water hammer. In your case it seems like the noise happens after water runs for a minute, so it is likely air bubbles rising to the surface and pushing sediment around the inside of the tank. Doing a flush can help reduce the sediment and might reduce the noise.
Best video of all time
Thank you, we're glad you found it helpful!
We have an electric Rheem with a pressure release valve on top.
We followed your instructions and left that pressure valve alone - opening a HW faucet in the house instead.
No water would drain.
So we decided to back flush, but needed one ☝🏼more female end to run to HWHr. We couldn’t get the female end of the hose loose from the male outdoor spigot. Rusted into eternity. 🤨
NOW, what to do?
After a nasty fight, including the temptation to take a wrench to each other, we opened up the cold water valve and flushed about 25 gallons of nice, Softened Hot Water into the yard.
We still have to replace the hose spigot with the female end we needed that is permanently rusted to a garden hose (Did I mention hubby tends to TIGHTEN those nuts 🔩 and bolts until almost stripped?)
BUT, the source water pipe to the garden spigot won’t turn off, even though the valves below the spigot are turned off…😞🤦🏻♀️
Yeah.
Do-it-yourself home maintenance is freaking worth it. 🙇🏻♀️
Thanks for sharing your experience. With time, parts become worn out, rusted and it most certainly adds more variables into any maintenance or repair. It is hard for us to cover all the potential scenarios that can emerge but we did do a video on showing how to remove a broken plastic drain valve: ua-cam.com/video/4m1KxuHewHY/v-deo.html Still we might do a video in the future talking about what to do with stripped threads and other common mishaps.
If you put the Pilot light in the “pilot” position when starting the process, why did you have to relight the pilot at the end? Or was that just a filming error?
Thanks for watching. In the video the gas was shut off and the temperature was set to the "pilot setting" which means it is the lowest setting. At this point the pilot flame and burner are complete disconnected from the gas while the tank is being drained.
If we have a sediment issue should we expect to see the sediment flush out of the hose as we drain the tank?
Thanks for watching. Depending on the size of the sediment you should see some.
At time of installation have the plumber replace that highly restrictive hose bib. A 3/4 nipple, full port IP valve and hose adapter will turn a future lengthy flush job into a fast effective walk in the park.
Thanks for watching! Yes the full port ball valve works great. For anyone wondering these are the parts needed: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
I did this today. Took me 5 hrs! Had to keep jabbing a coat hanger in there to get all debris out. Got about 2 gallons of junk. What do I use to remove the drain valve? My wrench wouldn’t do it.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for watching! Draining can be quite slow with a buildup of debris. In a lot of cases the drain valve might be pretty stuck. To help out you can make an extension for the wrench. If you put a piece of copper pipe overtop of the wrench and extend the handle by 2 feet, then you'll have more leverage. You'll notice that it might take a bit to "break it loose" as the drain valve threads are likely starting to get fused. Once you get it turning it might still take some effort to turn each time but will get easier after a few rotations.
Design Studio I got it pretty empty, but could NOT remove the anode rod. A waste of $50 for the new one😕
Design Studio yes! Sorry if I wasn’t clear.
Design Studio it’s 10 yrs old, but I’m the only one here, so not a lot of use. My male neighbor and I tried for hrs to remove the anode and it was a no go. Pipe wrench, bar, you name it.
Design Studio I saw something about draining them every couple of years and I hadn’t EVER done it, so I tried and it was blocked with calcium deposits and mineral sludge. My lower element was UNDER all that so it wasn’t efficient. If you clean it and replace the anode, they’ll last a lot longer.
I would think you could push a smsll hose or rod into the drain valve to move the sediment outof the way
Thanks for watching. It depends on the valve. The standard drain valve is a threaded valve and is at an angle, so a piece of wire could bend around that corner. You can see this here: ua-cam.com/users/shortsC3-eTMsbO40 If you do this just make sure you have some sort of container underneigh.
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT PIECE OF INFORMATION, EXCELLENT
You're welcome, we're glad that you found it helpful!
It could help to use some chemical like CLR or other had water cleaners to take out some deposits in the tank. They also use vinegar to flush out the hard water deposits.
Thanks for watching. Using something like vinegar is a way to help chemically break apart scale from the tank. The flushing will be mechanical removal of sediment.
How do you even "introduce" CLR to the hot water heater tank?
Question and sorry if this is a dumb question. My water valve is corroded to the point that I can’t turn it off. Could I still do the flush with the cold water running and still follow the rest of your instructions. Also let’s say I can’t shut off the main line water to the house either.
Thanks for watching, and that is a perfectly valid question. If there's no way for you to shut off the incoming water supply then its likely that your tank would drain slower than the refill rate from your cold water supply line. Drain valves do not have large openings and often there is debris that will slow down the draining. So if your drain valve drains at 0.5 - 1 gallons per minute and your cold water supply line fills at 1.5+ gallons per minute then you wouldn't be able to drain the tank completely. Still you'd be cycling some of the water and some of the debris might flush out during that process. So you could try draining some water and monitor what comes out of the hose to see if any sediment is being removed.
I'm curious how you're able to backflush from another sink by opening the hot valve🤔. Since the cold inlet valve on the water heater is closed there is no pressure on the hot side. I think you clearly meant to open the cold side to backflush. Minor oversight, awesome video!
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye! This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
You can add annotations to your video using UA-cam editor. Just find where you mention using hit water and add a big message on the screen saying "*COLD WATER* SORRY" or something. Good luck 👍
@@joepolidoro429 UA-cam used to have Annotations as a feature but disabled it when they unified the experience with mobile devices. There are links (cards) that can pop up in the top right corner but these are not the same as annotations and aren't visible in the same way.
@@joepolidoro429 Due to the number of comments, just added a pinned comment which will show up at the top. Cheers!
@@AmreSupply that's wack
Question here please. My tank has 8 year warranty, I'm on the 9th. Ive never drained it until now. I agitated the bottom many times and finally got the tank to run clear. Problem is inside hot water is still off colour. I live in Vancouver, BC for location. Evety plumber says I need a new tank. Is there more I can do?
Thanks for watching. There might have been some very fine sediment that is now floating in the tank. After a shower or two that will likely disperse. If the tank is still heating effectively you might not need a new one. Has the water started to run clear now?
If I have already cut off the water to the hot water heater, and I am back-flushing, wouldn't I want to turn on the cold water, not the hot, so I'd get more pressure for the backflush?
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
how often are you supposed to do this on a gas water heater in a hard water area?
Thanks for watching. You will hear many different recommendations as this really varies on how hard the water is and your location. If you think you have hard water, you might have to flush it yearly up to even every 6 months. When you flush you can check to see the amount of sediment that is removed.
Very nice thanks you
You're welcome!
@@AmreSupply thanks you will come
Is this necessary if you have soft water plumbed into the heater?
Thanks for watching. It is more necessary with hard water but it's still good to check. You can remove the anode rod to look at the degree of corrosion. A heavily corroded anode rod is a good indicator that there will be more sediment in the tank. ua-cam.com/video/hTJv67imgaE/v-deo.html
Great vid! Thank you
You're welcome!
For back flush do i need to close the drain valve? Or does that stay open during back flush
Thanks for watching. When flushing the tank, it can be most helpful to drain the tank fully and then turn on the cold water supply to spay water onto the sediment at the bottom of the tank. A back flush can be done when the water isn't draining, as a back flush will help clear any sediment that blocked the drain valve. For a back flush you'll need the drain valve open.
Would u cut off the water supply...seems I have a electric water heater
Thanks for watching. Turning the water heater off is needed no mater the type so it's not trying to heat while you flush the tank. The cold water supply would need to be shut off if you are following this type of flush in this video.
You can leave the cold water supply open and do a flush / while it fills. This way you won't need to drain the entire tank. It is just another method. Hard to say what is most effective as this really depends on the amount of sediment there is.
@@AmreSupply thank man...saves us money to learn these things
@@eugenevienneau3071 You're welcome!
Does hot water storage tank need draining? I have 2 hot water pipes connected to it and they are both at the bottom, same level as draining valve.
I just read maintenance manual and it doesn't say that it needs to be flushed completely, just few quarts of water
@@IYG-x7c Yes it's best to follow the manual's instruction.
So where can you drain the water if you dont have a floor drain in your basement??
Thanks for watching. If you don't have a floor drain there are two options. Either drain into a buck and get a good workout in by manually emptying the bucket every time it fills, or buy a small transfer pump & hose to pump the water to the nearest drain.
@@AmreSupply what about draining into a bathtub
@@mauricerob236 You can drain into a bathtube if it is on the same floor as the water heater.
Great information
Thank you!
Very Good, Thank You
You're welcome!
Thank you for this! 😘
You're welcome, we're just happy to help!
Great video thank you
You're welcome, we're glad you liked the video!
Thanks sooo much!
You're welcome, we're just happy to help!
How in the world do you "blast water back into the tank" by hooking up to, and turning on, a hot water tap that you have just depressurized?
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times / locations, and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
do you think it is a better solution to drain the water in tank and add high purity citric acid to dissolve the scale? Like to clean scale in pot, it might be a terminated solution.
Thanks for watching. There are various opinions on this but using something like vinegar is a way to help chemically break apart scale from the tank. The flushing will be mechanical removal of sediment.
@@AmreSupply : considering the size of scale inside the tank and the tiny hole of drain valve, it's hard to move them out of tank by flushing. Vinegar is ok, but believe citric acid is better for its high acid value.
@@悟入木三分 It is this reason why some people decide to install a 3/4" full port
ball valve. This is covered in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
@@AmreSupply : Thank you.
@@悟入木三分 You're welcome!
Thank you.
You're welcome Jose!
My ele hot water heater has no shut off valves?
Thanks for watching. In some cases the shut off valves are hidden behind a panel or are farther down the line. Every setup is different so it's hard to say where you'll find it exactly.
We bought a house w/original water heater from ‘08. It seems to be running ok but is it too late to flush and replace the element? It’s also in a closet on the second floor :/. Thanks!
Thanks for watching. Even if the water heater is 13 years old, you can still flush the water heater and replace the electric heating elements. Unfortunately we don't have any videos on electric water heater repairs yet. This is something we'll be filming in the future.
@AMRE Supply thanks for the reply! I know how to change out the elements but not sure how to drain it on a second floor.
@@debconley2310 If you have a long enough garden hose you might be able to drain the water heater into a sink or bathtub. Once you get a siphon going it should continue to drain.
@@AmreSupply thank you. I believe that the second floor bathroom is higher than the water heater so I’m thinking it may not drain properly? I so wished it was in the garage :/!
@@debconley2310 Depending on the height of the water heater tank, any water above the drain will help push the water down. So if you have a bathtub or shower drain, as long as that is below the height of the majority of the water, then it will drain. If you are only replacing the top element then you won't need to drain as much water.
Alternatively if needed the element can be replaced without draining the tank. We don't have a video on this but this can be searched for. If you have a good airlock then no water will drain as you remove the element since no air is available to displace the water.
But wouldn’t the hot water be off and not usable for a back pressure flush??
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
I flushed my water heater but now it won't fill up with water when I turn on the cold valve. What did I do wrong?
Hi Lisa, thank you for watching. It's possible that there is an airlock inside of the tank. Open a hot water faucet somewhere in the home, and then open the cold water supply. This should allow the air to escape and let new water fill the tank. As the tank is filling up it will take a while but you will eventually see water flowing from the opened hot water faucet. At this point, wait until all the air is out of the system and the water is flowing smoothy. This means the tank is full.
Thank You 👍 ！
You're welcome!
I have never been able to drain the tank via the bottom value, because of all the crud. Instead, I unwind the valve, and remove it.
Thanks for watching. One options is an upgrade which you can make with a 3/4" full port ball valve: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
Where 2 drain water from tank on 3rd family house?
Thanks for watching. With a long enough hose, the tank can be emptied into any drain in the home.
So I can go high over the tub sides?
@@GaryYoung-eq1ph If the bathtub drain is located below the water heater then you'll be able to drain the water heater as the pressure inside the tank will help push the water out. In this case the majority of the tank is higher than the sides of the bathtub.
If the bathtub is located on a higher floor, then you won't be able to drain using a hose and would have to fill up buckets separately.
Thanks very informative.
every video i have tried to find about how long to drain the release valve i never get a straight forward answer too 🤦♂️
Thanks for watching. It can take hours to drain the tank. This depends on how much sediment there is, or how much restriction there is around the opening. It's not a quick process
2:47 Good luck backflushing with hot water. 🤣
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
@@AmreSupply Run a hose to your neighbours house and hook up to their tap...
Well thank you for this- we just lost 2 of 3 jobs careers because of the gov and pharm control fear bullying excuse the leaders we trusted are shoving into our skin and children-so I will look at my tank this weekend and do it myself thank you!
You're welcome, we're just happy to help!
Is it safe to add vinegar to a flush or not?
Hi Greg that is an excellent question. Overall adding vinegar is safe and can help with removing the mineral buildup. Its best to avoid other harsh chemicals or detergents.
@@AmreSupply thank you for responding back!
You're welcome Greg!
I have a 1999 Golden West MH
Can not find shut off. Hand les
Thanks for watching. In some cases the shut off valves are hidden behind a panel or are farther down the line. Every setup is different so it's hard to say where you'll find it exactly.
'
hot water heater tank have alot of corrosion powder on the bottom inside tank...
mineral corrosion
Thanks for watching. Hard water will contain more minerals and can speed up the process. Best to check the anode in case its almost dissolved: ua-cam.com/video/hTJv67imgaE/v-deo.html
No chemical treatments possible?
Thanks for watching. There are products available but people have found vinegar works as it is an acid and will dissolve the minerals. There's also more info in general here: inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Water_Heater_Scale_Removal.php#DelimeKit
@@AmreSupply what do you think about citric acid? Would that be a safe alternative?
@@leoperez2566 Citric acid is less acidic than vinegar but would still help dissolve the minerals. It also depends on how diluted it is as this will determine how potent it is.
Just an observation.....if you need to back wash with cold water, remember your hot water is shut off and nothing will happen if you use hot water.
Also it is a water heater not a hot water heater.
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
I love how he says to back flush.. yet the hot water is turned off and he used the hot knob lol. Whew….
Thank you for watching. You have a good eye. This has been pointed out in previous comments but unfortunately its not something that we can update. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing).
@@AmreSupply Yeah I figured that’s what it was I occasionally will film like that. I have to be careful to make sure it all flows and makes sense 😆
Baloney the drain valve to small and valve not open to give unrestricted flow
Thanks for watching. It depends. Some people don't have any problem for unrestricted flow. Others do. This is why many people have installed a full port ball valve which is shown in this video: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
Never worry about flushing tank … Tankless is the way check it out
Thanks for watching. Tankless water heaters are getting more and more popular, so we'll likely do an update to the series in the future.
The last time I did this the heater started leaking
Thanks for watching. Where was the leak?
I think the sediment was the only thing keeping together. If you don’t flush regularly I wouldn’t recommend it
Why would you need to heat hot water?
It depends on what you consider hot. If water in the tank was only 110°F and someone wanted water that was 140°F then it would technically be a hot water heater (turning hot water into even hotter water)
We're quite aware that people often refer to it as a hot water heater. In our videos we mentioned water heater and hot water tank to try to cover the variation.
Call the man
Thanks for watching. It never hurts to call someone.
The best flushing video I have seen on UA-cam. Exact and to the point.
Thank you Peter! We try to keep this same format to all of our videos. The goal is to provide the direct instructions but make sure the "why" is covered as well.
I hooked my line to my washer supply hose to back flush it and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for watching Barry, we're glad that tip worked for you!
Same! The greatest DIY tip I have gotten in a while.
Tip: Remove aerators from faucets before this! Return after you have filled tank and flushed out lines a bit.
Thanks, that is a solid tip!
Great video. Explains everything needed in a fraction of the time. Thank You.
You're welcome Melanie, we're glad that you found it helpful!
*NOTE* At 2:47 the hot water handle is opened. This is an error and the cold water handle should have been opened instead. When filming these videos we often film multiple takes at different times and the pieces are edited together afterwards. During the backflushing shot we did what visually looked best on camera (moving the closest handle) while not realizing it was the wrong handle (which not would result in any water flowing). This wasn't noticed until after filming was complete.
So take down the video and reshoot it!
I was wondering!
@@UncleFjester Thanks for watching. Removing the video would mean it would lose all interactions, comments, and views and that is something you don't get back. For a reshoot, the error would have to more significant than the difference between the hot and cold handles. This is something that someone can figure out and is why we put this note.
Yep I saw that was going to comment as if you are back flushing and of course have the water to the tank off then use the hot water to supply water back words well oops 😬 not going to work.
It would be a good idea to make sure a faucet is open on the hot side to allow the water into the tank.
I and my brother that lives next door to me built our homes at the same time. We put in the same identical hot water heaters, ( Electric & the same Brand ) I had to replace mine after 15 years, my brothers hot water tank is still going strong seven years later. The only difference in our hot water tanks is I flushed mine every year, my brother has never flushed his. The plumber that helped me change it asked me on the phone how much have I flushed it out through the years, I asked him why was that a factor, he explained that water heaters that have been changed by him the majority were changed had been flushed out on a regular basis. I stopped flushing mine. Both my brother and I are on the same well water also, sharing a deep 600 ft deep well.
The back flush with a washing machine advice may have just saved me over $650. My hot water was slow and had low pressure and about a year ago I drained my 16 year old electric HWH. Well that drain was iffy and the low pressure issues came back. The drain valve was clogged and nothing could flow. By putting a washing machine line on a hose, opening a valve in the house and backflushing the tank I was able to get it flowing and flushed. Crud came out and my hot water pressure is like new! Maybe I can get another 5 years out of my HWH now. Yay!! Remember if you do it to open a valve in the home to allow the back flowing water a place to go and to then drain your tank. It took doing it three times on my old HWH.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We're glad that the backflushed worked!! Best of luck that you get a few more years out of your water heater!
This video is the only one that tells you that you might need to back flush. I greatly appreciate that and Great work in the video tutorial!
Thank you Josh, we're glad that you found these details helpful! We try to make all our videos detailed and thorough!
@@AmreSupply ...and for that reason is why I subscribed!
If it stops draining and still not empty , just lift the hose up to your height and shake a few times then blow like inflating a balloon if necessary ; OR shut off boiler drain and open water supply, that will move that big chunk of sediment out of the way stirring the bottom of the tank. I usually just connect the hose and open boiler drain, the chunks might break loose with the pressure, and you can hear them rattling in the bottom then combine on and off of water supply and boiler drain till you get good free flow and no more sediment, . Believe me , I'm a plumber and it's been times I had to remove lower heating element to be able to push sediment out, never been flushed in ten, 15 or 20 years.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. Those are some good tips!
Our hot water heater [HWH] had not been flushed for more years than I want to admit. Following the directions in this video I got next to no where. Blowing cold water in from the washing machine cold water point 6 times into the HWH didn’t do the trick. So I shut off the HWH drain valve and let my drain hose [laid outside the house] drain until empty. Then I stood on a ladder and using a funnel that fit inside the hose shut off valve on the end of it - I filled the hose with white vinegar. When the hose was full, I shut off the valve on the end of the hose and reconnected it to the cold water hose for the washing machine. I then turned on the cold water to pressurize that hose, opened the valve at the end of the drain hose and then the drain valve on the HWH. In this sashion I blew about a pint of vinegar into the HWH. I did this twice and now the sediment has been disolved enough that water is flowing strongly out of the drain hose.
Thanks for sharing your experience! We try to give enough information to point people in the right direction but there are always cases that are more difficult than others. It's not surprising that after so many years without any flush that it took vinegar to help dissolve the sediment. Cheers.
As a plumber of over 20 years, the best way to get rid of sediment is to cut both copper lines drop that concrete filled water heater and install a new one. I have seen too much sediment run through the house clogging up all the fixtures.
Hi Vinny thanks for sharing your experience. What do you think about regular or yearly flushing as a way to prevent a buildup of sediment?
@@AmreSupply I tell my customers if you start from the time the water heater is new you should be okay but if you go back in after a water has been sitting for even only 2 years you run the chance of distributing that lime and scale all over the house
Thank you! I liked your clear explanations and step-by-step advice. Going to try this now!
You're welcome Heather! We're glad you found the video helpful!
What about my video
First video I’ve seen showing to use a washer hose to clear the line!!! Genius!!
I have a ton of problems with high calcium in appliances and this trick may help.
Thanks for watching. We're glad that you found it helpful. There is another option that can help in the future. Many people have found it helpful to install a full port 3/4" ball valve. This is shown in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/nGCejMsKNX4/v-deo.html
Detailed perfectly on both electric and gas water heaters. Thank you for this video. Greatly appreciate it.
You're welcome Madelyn, we're glad that you found the video helpful!
@@AmreSupply you saved me 😊
Did NOT go so smoothly for us.
You are SO wrong! I just flushed my hot water heater and common sense told me NOTto shut off the water supply at the top of the tank. No need to turn on a sink spigot to allow air into the tank to help flush it. The incoming water does that much better than your idea. Plus, the water coming into the top of the heater pushes the bad stuff out the drain quicker and with more pressure than your sink spigot letting air in. Who made you an expert on this subject? I have been flushing hot water heaters for over 40 years problem free and never used your procedures.
Thank you for watching. We're glad you found a method that works for you. The fact that you have used your method for 40 years without problem shows that there is often more than one way to do these things but due to the difference in water hardness in different areas not all cases will be the same. As well there is no true consensus, if you ask 10 different plumbers you will get 10 different answers.
Not sure if you watched the entire video or just stopped when you saw the water shut off. This method shown in this video covers draining the tank, backflushing if needed as well as opening the cold water supply to blast water into the tank.
Worked for me 🤷♂️
Anode Rod
Thanks for watching. We made a video specifically showing how to replace the anode: ua-cam.com/video/hTJv67imgaE/v-deo.html
Straight and to the point. Thank you
You're welcome Melissa!
The best tutorial on flushing I've seen on UA-cam
Thank you, we're just happy to help!
what about using the air release valve in the side of the tank. Don’t you need to open that too? I had seen orher videos do that. Can you explain the process why do or nor do that? Thanks
Thanks for watching. If you open a hot water faucet when you drain the tank, it will release the air, so either will work.
Fantastic video. Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
After performing these steps, why do i not get hot water in the kitchen anymore? I have to turn on the hot water in the (further away) bathroom to get hot water in the kitchen. Confused. 🤷♂️
Thanks for watching. What you're describing is that the system is air-locked so it's best to double check that the shutoff valve on the cold supply line is opened.
I watched several videos to get multiple viewpoints. This video was an excellent place to sum up what I'd learned. It was consistent with others while short and to the point.
Thank you, we're just happy to help!
Thank you for this video you saved me big money
You're welcome! We're glad the the video helped you out!
I’m glad you caught that because I was about to correct you myself. That would be problematic. I generally fill up the tank and listen to know that it’s filled. Than I plugged the hot water heater on and let it heat up some for about 15 to 20 minutes than I turn on the faucets. Turning on the faucets in this fashion not only gets the air out but the sediment in the pipes which is why you usually will see brown water for about 50 seconds or so. If you turn on the water before filling the tank you could damage the hot water heater.
Thanks for watching. Also those are solid tips!
Is it okay to use the water heater drain as an outdoor spigot line for rinsing purpose? The water heater at my property has a line connected to the drain that leads through the wall and outside spigot. Between the line looks be a converter because if I touch the line before it, the pipe is warm. But when you turn on the spigot outside it comes out cold. My tenants have been using it to rinse off beach sand off their dogs or items as we live in a beach community. Not a full flush out, its just a few minutes usage of water to wash of sand. Do you know if this is okay or is it likely to cause damage on the water heater?
Thanks for watching. If the water heater was supplying water to that outdoor spigot then it would also be warm. It is possible that it looks like it is connected but there is another line somewhere connected to the outdoor spigot.
Regardless if you are draining water from the bottom of the water heater, you might get some sediment but you'd still be able to safely rinse off sand etc.
@@AmreSupply do you guys have an email address? I can send pictures of what it looks like
Can a broken outside spigot cause low water pressure in a house, My spigot does have a crack in it. I have no leaks in my home, water meter is remaining normal. But I have lost water pressure in my whole mobile home both hot and cold water. I replaced all faucets about a year ago and hot water tank as well.
Thanks for watching. A leak could create a drop in pressure but you'd see evidence of water around that spigot.
Thanks for this. Question: I ended up doing the 20-second flush at least 8 times. Brown water every flush. Finally a friend gave me advice to keep valve open while cold water intake valve is open. At this point the outflow got a little more clear so I called it a night.
Also I feel you kind of rushed the part about air flush after the water flush, before turning back on the heater.
Thanks for watching. Thank you for the feedback. Yes for filling the tank you'll have to run water out of a faucet until the water runs clear. This might might take some time.
Many water heaters come with a cheap plastic drain valve that's not nearly as good and well designed as the brass one you show in this video (even on water heaters approaching $1,000). What are the chances that my plastic drain valve will seal off after I do the flush? I can fully see mine not sealing off no matter how hard I tighten it.
Thanks for watching. It is partially how the valve is designed. Any valve (plastic or brass) runs the risk of debris preventing the rubber in the stopper from closing properly. A full port ball valve does not have this problem. This video explains this in more detail: ua-cam.com/users/shortsC3-eTMsbO40
I just did rained HWT this past weekend. One question, now one of my interior sinks will not run water. No hot, just a small stream of cold. Every other faucet words fine. I left the faucet on for 8hrs and nothing changed. Any advice?
Thanks for watching. It could be helpful to clear or replace the aerator as well you could, turn off the shutoff valve, disconnect the faucet supply lines and see if the how water flows once you open the shutoff valves. If the hot water flows when the faucet supply line is disconnected. then the blockage is in the faucet.
Thank you for not being like 99% of DIY videos.
Others: annoying introduction with loud music, some logo spinning into the picture for a few minutes. My name is and I was born in... when I was... my girl said... then I went to... I got married... blah blah... subscribe to my channel... hit the like button... make sure to check out my video on how to actually drain your water heater.
You're welcome Juan, we try to keep things informative, short and to the point!