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The flushing of your hot water heater should be part of an annual home maintenance program. Draining water out of the tank flushes out sediments that settle to the bottom of the tank. The flushing helps ensure safe, energy efficient operation of your water heater. Additionally it helps to extend the useful life of the unit. The service can be done professionally or consider it as a do it yourself project with the following recommendations.

To flush the tank:

1. For electrical water heaters, turn OFF the power at the circuit breaker. For gas water heaters, turn the thermostat on the unit to the PILOT position.
2. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank, and put the other end either in a 5-gallon bucket, a floor drain, or run the hose outside.
3. If you have a recirculation pump for your hot water system, then turn this off.
4. Shut off the supply valve for the cold water inlet to the water heater.
5. Open a HOT water faucet in a sink closest to your water heater, and open another HOT water faucet in a sink that is at the highest point in your house (NOTE:  Just a little water will flow out, since you have shut the water supply valve to your hot water heater in the step above).
6. Open the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank (you might want to place a rag or small bowl under the vent pipe to catch any water drops that might come out).
7. Open the drain valve on you tank and drain 1 to 2 gallons from the tank.  NOTE: The water coming out of the garden hose will be scalding hot so be careful that the water doesn’t splash anywhere except in the bucket, drain, or outside.  As the water begins to drain out, you will probably notice some small scale or sediment in the water.

To re-fill the tank:

1. Close the drain valve and remove the garden hose.
2. Close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank.
3. Open the valve for the cold water inlet to the tank, and you should start to hear the tank fill with water.
4. Watch the faucets that you opened in the house.  After you begin to get a steady stream of water from the faucet, shut that faucet.
5. For electric water heaters, turn the power back on, and for gas models, turn the thermostat on the water heater back to its ON position.
6. If you have a recirculation pump, then turn it back on.
7. Double check that the drain valve is tight.

TEST PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE:  The pressure relief valve is at the top of the tank, with a drain tube extending down from it.  To test the valve, with the water supply valve to your water heater in the open position (i.e., its normal operating position), place a bucket under the vent pipe for the valve, then lift the lever on the valve for a few seconds to let water flush out through the valve.  If little or no water flows out, or if the valve doesn’t shut off, then replace it.  NOTE: The water coming out of the vent pipe will be scalding hot, so be careful that the water doesn’t splash on you.