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Water heater manufacturers recommend
flushing your water heater periodically. Â How often your water heater needs to be flushed depends upon the quality of the water in your area.
Over time, your water heater can accumulate
sediment consisting of sand, gravel, and various mineral deposits. Â This buildup
can reduce the amount of hot water your water heater holds, create a variety of interesting noises, and reduce the efficiency of your water heater. The buildup of sediment at the bottom of the water heater can harden and sometimes clog the drain valve.
Turn off the water heater.
If you water heater is gas, set the gas valve to
"Pilot" to prevent the burners from coming on while you are flushing it. Â If your water heater is electric turn off the circuit breakers to the water heater. Â If the water level drops below the heating elements and the water heater turns on, the heating elements will burn out quite rapidly.
Connect a garden hose to the drain valve.
 Make sure the hot water leaving the hose is in a safe area away from pets and children.
Close the shut off valve on the cold water inlet to the water heater.
Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the heater by lifting the lever. Â Leave the valve open.
Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater
allowing the water to flow through the garden hose. Â If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold water inlet valve back on to "power flush" the sediment out.
In some cases the sediment hardens into
large chunks that block the drain valve. Â At times I have run the hot water out of the
tank by opening a hot water tap and letting the water flow till it is cool so I could remove the garden hose and use a long screwdriver break to break up the clog . Â A very messy procedure.
When the water leaving the garden hose runs clear you are finished.
Close the drain valve and remove the garden hose.
Close the pressure relief valve and turn the cold water inlet valve back on.
Open a hot water faucet and let it run until no air bubbles come out.
Turn the water heater back on.
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