How To Flush A Hot Water Heater To Remove Sediment

[@AmplifyDIY]

Ok internet, I get it. It's not a HOT water heater. It's just a water heater. I suppose I've always called it that because that's what I've always heard it called.

[@Imwright720]

Me too. I was working in a house one day and gave the little boy an ice box magnet. He looks at me and says , what’s an ice box.

[@mikelynch307]

Same here. It's a water heater not a Hot water heater. Why would you heat hot water?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I’ll bet it all comes down to local vernacular. I grew up in the Midwest of the US, and everyone called it a Hot Water Heater there. Though, yes, it is probably redundant, plenty of people still call it that.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Too true.

[@rickpowell1402]

@@AmplifyDIY A small study from a company I worked for in the past showed that customers responded well to, and also preferred "hot water heater" over " water heater". So don't sweat it. Also, to answer the question above. "why would you heat hot water?" Well, obviously so it wont go cold....Duh

[@sg.7773]

5 YEARS LATER AND THE BEST VIDEO ON THIS SUBJECT! As a first time homeowner I can't tell you how valuable I found this video! You did an amazing job explaining and showing absolutely every process needed to due this safely and thoroughly. Thank you so much for taking the time to document this so completely. It is saved as a favorite to this ladies videos so that I can easily retrieve it for the next time. Thanks again! FANTASTIC VIDEO!!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you so much for the feedback! I'm glad it's been helpful for you. :)

[@sbidiwala1]

Best video ever , thank you so much sir. I just got someone to Svc and flush it last week and realized he didn’t flush he only drained my hot water heater. I wish mine was in garage like urs but it’s not. It’s up in the attic!! There should be a law against putting a hot water heater in the attic!! Who is going to go and keep up with that, why does govt allow it? My water heater is only 6 yrs old and I didn’t see a spec of dirt or sludge in the water when it drained, yet crook contractor insisted I needed a new water heater for $3,500 !! I had to show him my door and will never call him back again !!! Thanks again for educating us!!

[@thorkappabrosilon]

First time homeowner here. Thank you for taking the time to walk us through this process. Much appreciated, good sir.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Very welcome!

[@mfb6310]

Agreed! 2nd time homeowner, 64yr mother of 3 adults (somehow), still a virgin flusher but feeling braver! I just found out about the anode rod too. So much to learn out there.....

[@1039denero]

Worked exactly like you said! Thanks

[@johnhebbe5544]

Positive comment: This video presentation was nicely put together. Right amount of detail, well paced and easy to watch.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks, John! That means a lot!

[@lisaewoldt2180]

Totally agree!!

[@RubenBrizuela89]

I agree very helpful. Really enjoyable and educational video to watch. Thanks..

[@mapfingsten]

Completely agree. Getting ready to do this the first time and figured I would double check what I thought it would take to do this. Video confirmed my thinking and I still learned more. Great video. (BTW...I also call it a hot water heater ;))

[@justinwnichols03]

For real! Others are super slow and you get right to the point even worth watching the extra clean out steps! I was trying everything and then saw this video and you're like "open the pressure release valve", water started flowing!! I have to crawl under the house & fix a hot water line to the kitchen (elbow is leaking). Great video! 10/10!

[@Fungamer4570]

This is by far the best tutorial for anything I've ever seen on KZbin. It was easy to understand, and you explained it in good detail without making the video too long

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you!!

[@mfb6310]

Agreed!!

[@kencheng2929]

wow, this is one of those rare videos that deserves a dozen gold stars

[@SomeBuddy777]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@nnaheim.]

​@@SomeBuddy7775 gelltras for u

[@notme1230]

GREAT VIDEO! Very well explained BUT . . . just 1 thing, at the end when you think you're done, open ALL the hot water faucets in the house and after they stop burping air let them run for another minute to make sure all the air is out. What's called water hammer can destroy your plumbing. Super important to get all the air out

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great tip!

[@llovley]

Thanks for the tip! My husband and I are under contract for our first home so this video and your extra tip are most helpful.

[@juniorsillah2162]

10:13

[@jdinhuntsvilleal4514]

That little tank on top of the water heater is there to prevent water hammering.

[@SantiagoKovacs]

For some reason, I have the hose connected at the bottom and open flow and the pressure valve open but no water is flushing, just a bit of water coming out of the pressure valve. Am I doing something wrong ?

[@montuckyrose]

Thank you so much! I'm a middle aged woman who is alone as my husband has passed and I wouldn't have known how to do this. You have done a great service for myself and others like me. Great video! Very helpful and informative!

[@Peeze16]

Sorry for your loss Kate

[@wesfields9322]

Sorry for your loss mrs.kate

[@asimplescripture4469]

Sorry for your loss. May God bring you peace and joy in his memory and everything else.

[@visualsolutionz]

Best tutorial on KZbin . Never would have thought it would be about a water heater. Thank you !

[@TopRival75]

Very clearly explained. Also, the sound quality is excellent, and the background music was not overpowering. Overall, a very pleasant and well done video.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey thanks, Kris!

[@springtimeplumbing6240]

Good instructional video, covers most all of the important points. One thing I might add. **In the case of an electric water heater, DO NOT turn the power back on until all of the air has been flushed out of the tank through a faucet. The elements need to be surrounded by water before being energized, or they will overheat and burn out**

[@AmplifyDIY]

Very good tip. Thanks!

[@HalfB]

⚠️ 🚨 This above instruction is so important and needs to be pinned at the top of this comment thread please ! 🙏🏻 ⚠️🚨 Its by chance I saw this comment and would not have known to do this as sequencing the steps to safely turn on the water heater is not common knowledge to some of us. 👍 🙌 I loved this video as it’s very easy to follow along, audio is very good and newbies like me appreciate simple concise instructions. Also, Thank you so much Springtime Plumbing as your comment probably saved me mucking up my water heater! ✊

[@mykol404]

This. We bought a cabin once and in the spring we filled it up (or so we thought) but did not bleed the air out and burned out both elements. They aren't expensive at all but it was definitely a newbie learning the hard way!

[@johntpl8470]

Definitely. I would even bleed the air out before I turn the natural gas heater back on. Not sure I would turn it all the way up to desired temperature at first. ( At least I don't)

[@josephtein3835]

Thank you, very nice of you to add this advice ... I'm getting ready to do this flush for the first time and don't want to mess up my heater!

[@jaelvv5155]

Thank you so much! I just successfully flushed my water tank by myself. I’m a 30 year old woman with ZERO experience and I completed this in an afternoon after work. I would say that my water tank has never been flushed. I got out probably 1/2 cup of sediment. Insane! Thank’s so very much.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great job!

[@jaelvv5155]

@@dewalt4594 lmfao that was solid.

[@jaelvv5155]

@@dewalt4594 it so is. Could have gone either way but it actually made me chuckle.

[@xuchun5371]

what if the sediment already caused some minor damage to the bottom of the tank , do the flush will make the tank immediately has water leak ?

[@josephtein3835]

@@dewalt4594 I do think it was quite offensive and insensitive and disrespectful.

[@shinjijou]

As a second language speaker I am impressed by how clear and straightforward this tutorial video is. Just like some of other comments mentioned here, this is by far the best How-To video I have ever seen from KZbin in my limited watch and learn DIY life.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you!

[@igg450r]

You don’t have to apologize for what you called it anybody that is here to watch you know what you were pointing at and working on and helped us with thank you very much for taking the time to teach us

[@dntlss]

Oh you know how it is, there are some people out there that have to be taken by the hand and explain everything very carefully and you cannot deviate from the script for one second,the lady that set the RV on cruise control and went to the back to make a sandwich is a good example of that,lol

[@jeankutzer1556]

Great video. Ive been doing this twice a year for over 26 years. Same water heater. I did one thing different. I have a short hose with 2 female ends and once its drained i put a hose from an outside faucet and run it backwards into the tank to stir up calcium deposits. Only a couple of minutes and then drain again. Ive got as much as 1 gallon of additional calcium out by doing it this way. For the future im going with small tankless water heaters where needed instead of a central unit.

[@PiterGuzzy7]

Out of all the videos i watched this one was the best, thank you for a clear and straight video of DYI... Thank You

[@fittytrey6165]

Thanks for taking the time out of your day to record and educate those of us who did not know how to do this. Very informative and helpful!

[@AtomicHog]

Dude, what a teacher! Thanks! Took 40 years and the internet for me to learn preventative maintenance is for more than just vehicles. Such as: Washing machine Garage door Dishwasher Heat pump Etc.

[@palewine]

B.B. Queen what is it for dishwasher?

[@danstahn2731]

Figris Tek o

[@kenjsr1]

There's a "Tube" for more DIY'S than you can shake a stick at. If you want to know how....Tube it !! 😁

[@patrickpitts2834]

Thank you! Flushing the water heater is one of those easy things that makes the house safer and more efficient, but we forget. My 82-year-old mother just reminded me to do it. :) Depression kids take care of what they have.

[@jimdandy6121]

You are correct as opposed to ignorant Millennial's.

[@PleThorAMusic1]

@@jimdandy6121 yeah ignorant cause the boomers never taught us any of this shit but think we wanted participation trophy's instead.

[@georgefitter7656]

With your method, a 6 year warranty tank becomes a 15 year tank easily! Thanks for the knowledge and the savings!

[@Atnight15528]

Great instructions and audio. I never knew I needed to drain my hot water heater until recently. No one shall convince me to call it a water heater!

[@danitablake7614]

As a single mom, and first time homeowner, I found this tutorial extremely helpful. Thank you for the assist!

[@jeffdavis6783]

If u need help call me

[@seanguerino5999]

This will be lost amongst the thousands of comments, but I also wanted to say thank you for you presentation. Our set up was a little different as it's in the basement, so I purchased a hot-water-rated pump (only $50) and attached it to the tank using the connector hose from my clothes washer. Drained faster than you spoke of (for obvious reasons), but every step you mentioned was spot-on. Local plumber wanted $200 to do it, so you've saved me money now and in the future!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Lost or not, Sean, I saw this comment, and was grateful to hear that this video was helpful for you. So, thanks!

[@sharlashort4602]

Thank you for a very clear way to drain and flush the water heater. I live in an area with sever drought and could not bear to waste so much water. I turned the heater off the evening before and was able to take a shower and wash dishes. In the morning, the water was warm, not hot and I used it to water trees. All of the water for flushing also went to trees and plants.

[@bagofsoda7464]

I’m a first time home buyer and have been living here for 3 years and never knew I was supposed to flush it. 😮

[@AmplifyDIY]

Knowing is half the battle, as they say. Good luck!

[@bergiefresh88]

Pro tip: hook your garden hose up before shutting off the cold supply and run it for 15-20 seconds first to blow out all the sediment that accumulates at the bottom of your tank... that the entire purpose of doing a flush on a tank anyways... otherwise 9/10 times your tank won’t drain right due to the sediment blocking up your hose bib.. Great quality video

[@AmplifyDIY]

This is a great tip. Thanks for sharing!

[@JeffreyWillis800]

Sorry, I don't understand this tip, can you elaborate? I've never done this before and want to understand how this step works and when to do it. Thank you.

[@monad.6742]

Thx for the tip. But if shut off the cold supply then what are we running for 15 seconds to blow out sediment? 🤔. Sorry I don't follow :(

[@AmplifyDIY]

@@monad.6742 Hi Mona - here is what Eric is suggesting: Step 1) Attach hose to drain valve. Step 2) Open drain valve for 10-15 seconds *BEFORE* you turn off the cold water inlet. This will clear your drain valve of any clogs. Step 3) Close the drain valve again, then proceed with the procedure as I outlined in the video. Hopefully this makes more sense. Thanks for watching!

[@timwalker8553]

@@AmplifyDIY Should this be done before you turn the heat to pilot? Also, later on, when you open a hot faucet to allow air into the system, do you leave that faucet open for the whole procedur? I noticed that at then end of the video you open a hot faucet again which made me think you had maybe closed it. Thanks for the great video!

[@donaldsmith6717]

Great video. Informative, clear and SHORT! Sometimes the presenter gets in the way with too much talking. You are spot on.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad you liked it!

[@TheFredismShow]

I did it today, thank you! I have two fifty gallon water heaters (large house), and one of them was full of silt. I bought the house three years ago, so it may be that the owner before me also had never done it, at least for one of the units, or maybe one of the units is newer than the other. I had to flush that one (the siltier one) out with cold water about twenty times to get it clean. The other took about six times. But they're clean now!

[@noxnyc23]

jesus is there any other way to clean these large tanks without flushing it 20 times? what a waste of water..?

[@LalalalalaLauren75]

I’m a first time homeowner and I’ve never lived in a house before. Thank you for clear instructions!

[@cassandraconroy563]

This is really helpful; thanks so much for sharing this video. A couple years ago a neighbor had mentioned that her handyman recommended a water heater flush annually & we both realized we had NEVER heard this before! When my husband and I discussed it he said the same thing :) So we did the flush and our water came out hotter than ever (we have lived in this house for 10 years) ! We had purchased the house we'd been renting and neither the previous owner nor we had this practical knowledge. Since learning this I have thought of all the people in my life who've experienced water heater emergencies (which sometimes included flooding from the water heater breaking and damaging flooring or something stored near the water heater) and had to replace their water heater . In some cases the emergency occurred over a week-end or holiday which means SUPER EXPENSIVE! One friend came home from vacation to discover that her water heater had broken while she was away and, well, that was a mess! I took the time to make notes of all the steps from your video and then noticed your description where it says another viewer did the same thing. KUDOS! I'm going to share the link to your video with everyone I know. I'm certain you have saved many from the expense and headaches of having to repair or replace a water heater or at the very least extend the life of their water heater. Great video!!!

[@caroloneill4760]

Absolutely great! Thanks! Being in my 80's I can't afford the $100's people want to do this for me. I'm on very little social security. Below poverty so this is really a wonderful thing you have done!

[@cassandraconroy563]

@@caroloneill4760 I'd do it at no charge if I lived close to you. I don't want to ask you to post your address here in the public space. I think if you look at my channel there is a way to message me that way. If you live somewhere near me I would gladly do it for you at no charge. We've done this so many times now we are good at it. It saved us replacing our water heater.

[@caroloneill4760]

@@cassandraconroy563 Thank you Cassandra. I live in Lake Havasu City AZ. The thought alone of you offering brought tears. There are still good people like you. Thanks again!

[@cassandraconroy563]

@@caroloneill4760 darn it; I live about 8 hours away. Do you know of any community services locally for seniors? or perhaps on Facebook there might be a community page and somebody or more than one volunteer could help out (hopefully). Sorry I wish I was closer and could assist. 🤗

[@caroloneill4760]

@@cassandraconroy563 this is a town that takes, takes, takes. Got to have lots of money here because these businesses are extremely expensive and definitely can't trust handymen!

[@blueyzsf]

Just happened on your video, never even considered flushing the HOT water heater (suck it internet!). Will be doing this in the near future! Very descriptive and helpful video, thank you!

[@ladeedaa1419]

Can you teach me how to change my brakes too? 🤣 The Info, pace, detail was all perfect. Great teacher

[@AmplifyDIY]

One of my cars is just about due for new brakes... what kind of car do you have? The process of changing brake pads will likely be similar.

[@itsme-nq8bq]

Loosen lugs on wheel, Jack car up. Remove wheel, loosen or remove caliper, remove and replace pads. Adjust calipers, place back on, place wheel back on, put on lugs, lower car, tighten lugs.

[@lonemenzies3956]

Yole blocked toilet

[@lonemenzies3956]

Blocked toilet

[@lonemenzies3956]

How do I unblock a toilet

[@shortdog3509]

Probably the best step by step video on how to maintenance a gas water heater I have found. Very nice job.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Wow, thanks!

[@shortdog3509]

@@AmplifyDIY You're welcome.

[@ericpierce3660]

I've watched several of these videos and yours was by far the best. You give very clear instructions, have good pacing in the video, good voice modulation and so on, making it easy to listen to you. You're a really good teacher!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey, thank you very much, Eric!

[@shannons4076]

I agree with this comment too! Great and easy to follow video. I’ve seen other videos suggesting checking the anode rod. When should I check that or what should I look for when checking?

[@archiepezek]

This was the best video I've seen on draining a water heater. Thank you.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Wow, thanks!

[@joannea8238]

This is a great tutorial (better than the others I watched). He not only tells you what to do, how to do it, but very importantly WHY you do each step. Clear & succinct!

[@cc92103]

I agree; I watched several times and wrote down step-by-step.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you!

[@deezee6732]

Absolutely the best video on You Tube for Flushing a Water Heater. Well done. Anyone who wants to do it.....THIS is the video to watch.

[@carlschnurr8483]

Nice video. I just flushed my water heater. 1st time in several years. My tank had so much sediment that the sediment impeded the flow of water from the drain. During the quick 15 second water then drain cycles, I used a wire / coat hanger to stick up through the valve in order to unblock the drain. Its also useful to use the largest diameter garden hose you can.

[@kbotah2023]

Thanks man I got stuck at this step and your advice sure helped!!

[@MrGPlays]

This one damage the drain valve?

[@JohnRobertDobbs]

New homeowner here. I'm just learning all of the little maintenance jobs for upkeep. Thanks for this!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks for letting me know it was useful, and thanks for watching!

[@alanharris4667]

Dont follow this nonsense. Leave your tank alone. Sediment will cause NO problem

[@carolsydney6905]

Thanks so much. I'm one of those people who learns best by watching, not reading instructions. I've had written instructions for months and was afraid I'd mess it up. Now I'm headed out to my water heater with confidence. Love your gentle instructions, you're a born teacher.

[@Linzizzle18]

How did it go??

[@jheaps7926]

First time homeowner here. Your video was simple, awesome, and extremely helpful flush my water heater. Thanks so much!

[@AmplifyDIY]

You're welcome! I love hearing from viewers when my videos are helpful. Thank you!

[@DougKremer]

+100 points for clear audio and AvE shirt.

[@billhartnett6413]

Ha ha ha. I noticed that right of the hop as well. Skookum as Frig wah?

[@stevej6824]

Release the schmoo 💦

[@yoriregalado5163]

Another winner! I’ve learned to do this maintenance stuff around my house just by following along with your patience in explaining. Thanks again!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@vincentmiller7536]

Another thing to remember after draining your plumbing is that you might want to remove your aerators from your faucets so they don't get clogged. I like the double flush idea.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great tip, Vincent. Thanks!

[@originalmachine85]

I have not flushed ours after 2018 install. I’ve agitated it over ten times and there is still white specks in the water. Will they ever go away or is this tank shot already? Is it necessary for it to be clear?

[@Akiwakitaki]

I use a bathtub facet for this reason

[@SergiuM42]

@@Akiwakitaki great tip. Thank you!

[@joshfoley8862]

Or let it settle prior to opening taps. ?

[@nathanb3082]

THANK YOU. I have experience fixing things at home. I have always been scared of flushing my water heater, so I always ignored it. Your video made it so easy to understand and follow steps! Went in and did it all by myself feeling confident. Flushed my entire water tank successfully!

[@scottharvey3140]

This was the best and most thorough video on flushing a water tank I could find. Kudos!

[@joeschoi]

Opening pressure relief valve was key for me to get the water tank to drain fully. But I also had to wait for the water to drain at least below the relief valve level, otherwise water would gush out. Also, when doing the last drain, for me the water pressure was strong, so I had to close the cold water inlet valve before opening hose valve. Made a huge water mess opening hose valve first like he does. Anyways opening relief valve was not told in other videos so this was very very helpful!!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey Joe - I'm glad you were able to get your heater flushed. Great job!

[@zachary4225]

So I just finished talking to my neighbor about that pressure valve and a company told him never touch that valve because there’s a seal in there that can break. I think they just told him that so that he won’t touch the tank.

[@bh6984]

@@AmplifyDIY So for those of us who need to use the Pressure Relief Valve to get the water to drain, is it safe to open that valve when the tank is full....our valve does have drain plumbing connected, so will this mean that the level of water above the relief valve in the tank would have to empty through the relief valve plumbing or would it most flow through the open tank drain port? Thank you!

[@AmplifyDIY]

@@bh6984 Yes, it's fine to open it while the tank is full, but be sure you have already a) opened the drain valve at the bottom and b) closed the cold water inlet to the tank. As long as you have done that, and your drain valve is not completely blocked, when you open the valve rather than water pouring out of it - air will flow in. At most you may get a few drips out of the valve, but mostly you should just hear a gurgling noise as the air rushes in to allow the water to drain out the bottom drain valve. Good luck!

[@bh6984]

@@AmplifyDIY Thank you...I can confirm that what described is exactly what I encounted. Opening the pressure relief valve finally allowed me to drain the tank slightly and swap out anode rods.

[@dannymcneal]

I will be doing this to my 3-year-old water heater this Spring. I appreciate the detail you provided.

[@pantherpawz3435]

An awesome job at explaining how to do this. You need to be a teacher. Your calm demeanor and knowledge would benefit everyone. Thank you

[@EagleAirOne]

Thank you so much. I went through other videos about this and was so confused. Your explanation was so helpful and didnt make me worried about facing death at every moment. You really helped me out 👏

[@MrSteveehermann]

Thank you very much! Presentation is first class, it is relaxing and enabling. Also a shoutout to the comment about bleeding air out of all hot water faucets. We had water hammer in our pipes and resulted in damaged pipes. Very expensive repair.

[@aycoxjp]

Thanks for your tutorial. I was nervous at first, afraid I was going to ruin something, but it was pretty easy with your step-by-step way of doing things. Hopefully this gets longer use out of the tank.

[@DaljitSingh]

Definitely learned few things, we were just emptying the tank and filling it back up never agitating the sediments or letting air in the tank so it would empty faster. Thank you

[@Dokujitsu]

Thanks for this! Followed it closely. I never knew to do this and don't think the previous owners of the home did it either. It took a LOT of flushes to get it clear, but the water heater is working so well that I actually had to turn it down a notch!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great job! I'm glad the flush went smoothly and is helping your heater work better!

[@stevebusby6618]

I know this video does not cover inspecting the anode rod, but it might be worth mentioning doing this at the same time to save time. This a great video, not too short, not too long, covering all the steps and tips needed to accomplish the task. I'm going to do mine tomorrow, so I wanted to refresh my memory and this did that! Thank you!

[@charlesanzalone5846]

Anoid rod is where alot of sediment comes from , usual doesn't last long, I change mine every year if it is rotted away

[@gerryeminor3866]

The best video describing step by step instructions how to flush sediment from a hot water tank. He speaks slowly and clearly every step of the way. Thanks

[@AmplifyDIY]

Wow, thanks!

[@bryanfulton2481]

What a perfect easy watch video that has armed me with the knowledge to tackle a water heater tank flush. Very very well done! No unnecessary content. Well spoken and very easy to understand. Thank you for this video! I’m sure it’ll save me at least $100, if not more calling a plumber.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad it was helpful!

[@virginiaturner4325]

Have known this needed to be done but didn't know exactly how to do it. Thank you for the explicit step by step instructions and the rational for each step. Will direct my son to your video, He thinks this doesn't need to be done.

[@ceb7422]

After you are through doing this, remember to write down the date you did this on the tank. One year from the draining, you will not have to rely on you memory to know when was the last time you drained the tank.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great idea!

[@andrewjou9835]

I keep all my car and household maintenance plus personal medical checkups dates and details on my phone and sync with all my iOS machines. It's like centralize their record for everything need to be done year round

[@simon6071]

The manufacturer recommends draining my electric water heater to get rid of sediment once a month (The recommendation used to be once every three months with the same model). I see that the video host tells people to shut off the cold water supply valve and open the hot water faucet or the safety valve for draining. However, I like to get rid of the sediment by keeping the cold water supply valve open and both the hot water faucet and safety valve closed. The power switch has to be off, of course. By keeping the cold water supply valve open, the high water pressure from the cold water supply allows me to get rid of the sediment in high speed of about 10 seconds. Actually, what I do is not draining but flushing out the sediment. I can collect almost two table spoonful of sediment each month within 10 seconds. From the very small amount of sediment collected by the video host after using the hot water for one year, I think a lot of sediment is still inside the tank and could not get out because the speed of the water that came out was too slow. So I think flushing to get rid of the sediment is faster and easier than draining. Since I still think it's too much work to connect a hose to the tank to flush out the sediment, I have decided to change to flushing out the sediment once every three months. It is more satisfying to see about 6 spoonful of sediments than just two.

[@AmplifyDIY]

@@simon6071 Hi Simon - Once a month is pretty excessive, unless you are in an area with VERY hard water and/or a LOT of sediment from your municipal supply. Your method of flushing is actually not as effective as you may think, due to the Bernoulli effect on the relative velocities of the water inside your plumbing and water heater tank. In short: If you do not turn off the cold water inlet, the tank and all the plumbing remains pressurized at the same pressure. As the water flows through a relatively small diameter pipe (i.e., the cold water inlet or the drain pipe) it moves VERY fast due to this pressure. However, as soon as the water enters the tank, it slows down to an absolute crawl. Your method will only flush out the sediment which has collected very near the drain - like within an inch or so of it. Beyond that distance, the water is simply moving way too slowly to stir up any of the sediment at the bottom of your tank. The method I demonstrate (empty the tank first, then repeatedly flush for about 10-15 seconds until no more sediment comes out) will stir up the entire bottom of the tank, since the fast moving water coming in from the cold water inlet does not hit a huge mass of water already in the tank: It can spray / swirl across the entire bottom of the tank. I think if you try my method you'll be surprised at how much more sediment comes out than with your method alone. Finally, my tank did not have much sediment in it because a) I flush it regularly, b) I have a water softener, and c) I have a whole-house sediment filter that prevents much junk from getting into my tank in the first place. Thanks for watching!

[@rexbeavers6746]

@@AmplifyDIY question. My tank is pretty old and has not been flushed at all (to my knowledge). What do you recommend since there is probably a ton of build up at the bottom?

[@cavscout1418]

I'm glad I ran into your channel. I've owmed my house for 7 years and didn't know this was something that needed done. I just completed it. Thanks dude.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad I could help!

[@michaelastefanick6495]

Wonderful clear and concise how-to video! Best I've ever seen, thank you! Will be trying this soon as we've had our heater for 4 years and have never drained it.

[@Bullitt419]

Thank you for sharing. They flushed the water in my town, and I had no clue on how to flush it. The detail was perfect, & the detail was perfect for somebody like me who had no clue. Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video for us.

[@vicerrico773]

Love your easy to follow directions. You have a nice comfortable tone and demeanor that makes watching you a pleasure. Thank you for posting these videos! Vic

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you so much!

[@gerryeminor3866]

The best video describing how to flush a hot water tank. Step by step, perfectly spoken. Thanks

[@U2WB]

This is excellent ! I’ve been told by several plumbers to do this but no one explained the correct procedure until now. Thank you for a most informative presentation. Subscribed !

[@erincolombo7124]

This was an extremely helpful video for a first timer, thank you so much for posting! Positive vibes to you for sharing and making it SO simple.

[@jacksonharris1027]

Thank you for this video. I don’t usually comment on videos but I wanted to emphasize my appreciation for how you teach. Very easy to follow and you explained every detail! Other videos skipped several small details that people like me (people who have zero experience with this stuff) need. Thank you 🙂

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you very much, Jackson!

[@tomcraig835]

1st off I rarely leave reviews, however you sir deserve it, this is by far the best most comprehensive tutorial i have ever seen, I can't wait to flush my water heater tomorrow , you are a super hero, not too much talking and BS music, you totally nailed it, thank you Tom

[@AmplifyDIY]

I appreciate that, Tom!

[@479tim]

Love this! My water heater is 8 years old and never had been flushed. I think we are at #30 of the 15 second flushes and still getting the last of the specs out. There was a crapload of calcium draining as well! My driveway has a white buildup of where we are draining. This will be on our annual to to do list from now on! Thank you so much!!

[@AmplifyDIY]

So glad you got it done!

[@rudymontana4515]

8 years with no service and it still worked. Think about it.

[@AmplifyDIY]

@@rudymontana4515 yes, it still technically "worked" in that it produced hot water. However, by flushing that sediment it now has more volume to hold more hot water, and the tank itself is going to last much longer. Eight years with no service is more or less the mean time to failure for most water tanks like this. When serviced properly though, the mean time do failure is more like 20 to 30 years.

[@renekrienitz5131]

Thank you for this DIY. I have the same water heater and this was a well paced, very explanatory tutorial. I feel good that I was able to do this myself with zero questions. Great video!

[@poswaresposwares1181]

Lucky you since it's the same water heater

[@MarkW1210]

I'd do you with zero questions

[@younnameit]

I don't have the same water heater but I have the same bucket

[@__fiji]

Beautifully organized with clear instructions. Thank you for the titled subsections that show up in the progress bar as well

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad it was helpful!

[@masterofktulu]

Your gentle demeaner really made this whole process so digestible and and easy to approach. Thank you. I don't know why but the whole thing seemed so erratic in my mind before looking up your video.

[@GusGundersen-video]

Thank you, nicely done, practical advice and something many of us have never done. The water heater mystique is dispelled.

[@peternewton8506]

Well done!! Simple, direct and to the point. I do not understand how you get any thumbs down ever. Ahhh, the world we live in which currently upside down for a variety of reasons. I will stop there.LOL

[@burtonxc]

The AvE shirt gives me 100% confidence in this guy’s advice 😎

[@jakeploughman2828]

Great video! The part about re-filling 2-3 times and draining at the end really makes a difference and your manual does not tell you to do that. Appreciate the clarity and simplicity of the video. Mine was not drained for six-8 years and this video helped get it done 👍🏻

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great job getting it done!

[@JohnJackson-NJ]

That was a great tutorial, followed it every step of the way clear out a ton of sediment and rust, it was unreal, thank you!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Awesome! Great job getting your tank cleaned!

[@jitendrakothari6625]

Great job explaining and demonstrating the steps, at the right pace.....Thank you for pointing out the risks and rewards of draining the tank.

[@rjb6327]

Excellent instructions. I've been putting this off for years. I remember doing this to my first heater when I move into my newly built house. A new development. When I did this, I was not only draining the junk flaking off the heater, I was also draining all dirt in the new pipes coming into my house from new construction. Nothing but brown water. 😧

[@kenweems5013]

Excellent step-by-step description of how to drain and flush out a water heater. Best I've seen with no excessive talking or music. Thanks!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kurtbennett1164]

DUDE! You rock! That was an awesome explanation and even knew to answer a 'what if' question in the normal explanation of it all. Awesome man! THANK YOU for taking the time to help all of us out with this vid. Going to 'yearly' mark it on my cell calendar to remind me to do it each year. Great job!

[@Pauken11]

Thank you for this. I have one thing to add: A plumber cautioned me about quickly opening the right-angle ball valve at the end of the procedure. He said if you open it quickly, the water can begin flowing too fast to the house and blow a faucet seal or trap a big air bubble in the system that can cause problems with shower diverter valves. (Ask me how I know). Instead, he said to open it up slowly over 30 seconds or so to mimic the slow opening of a normal gate valve.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[@ES-uf7zp]

I love your DIY videos. They are explained simply, step by step, and so practical. Great job and keep ‘em coming. So informative and breaks down intimidating projects.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad you like them!

[@MrMastercookson]

I just want to thank you for your video. I moved into my home five years ago and the hot water smelled like sulfur. I had a local plumber come check it out and he immediately told me that I needed a new water heater. He was very confident and I knew nothing. So I bought a new water heater. Bigger and better than the one the house had before. The smell has remained. I recently acquired some extra money so I wanted to finally tackle the sulfur smell. I called a plumber, waited a month for him to be available and he immediately suggests a new heater. I told him that this one is brand new. He says that some people replace them every two years. Ha! 😅He was going to talk with his colleagues and see if they had any suggestions. I have not heard anything. The flushing totally worked. Thank you so much.

[@AmplifyDIY]

What a story! Glad the flush helped. :-)

[@davidcolligan1368]

As a HVAC contractor who install/services water heaters, this is a great DIY video. The only thing I'd recommend differently is to purge the air BEFORE you turn the power/gas back on. More so with electric water heaters...if that upper element isn't fully submerged you could burn it out in short order. Also by not draining the water heater as shown in the video, you don't get the high pressure jetting action of the water breaking the scale up. Drop a penny in an empty glass of water and then a full glass of water..... which one did the penny hit the bottom harder?

[@dancingvon2198]

David Colligan, can you help me understand which step you mean? It's my first time attempting to drain a 10 yr. old gas water heater (40 gallon) , water's been coming out brownish each morning, I have to run hot water awhile, catching about 10 gallons in before it stops looking brownish. My water heater is in kitchen area. I can drain it out kitchen door ( using water hose ) but am worried. I'm an older gal but maybe can still learn how to flush water heater without blowing myself or tank up. Am concerned all the sediment, while I'm draining it, may clog up valve or hose. Can't afford a plumber at this time...any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. BTW this video was super! Best one I've seen yet. I just hate to mess up my water heater, but also hate that sediment has built up in it. TIA !

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Dancing - David is referring to the very last step, when I filled up the tank again, I didn't wait until it was COMPLETELY full to turn my heat source back on. His point (and it's completely right) is that on an *electric* tank you should wait until the tank is completely full before turning the power back on so you don't melt the heating elements. This is not a concern with a gas heater such as yours. As to your concerns: Flushing a hot water heater is usually a good idea, but I'm not certain it is the source of the brown in your water. A few things to test: Is the water brown ONLY when using hot water? It is also brown when you open a cold tap? Is the water brown at ALL fixtures (shower heads, sinks, washer, dishwasher, etc) in the house? Or only some of them? If the water comes out brown when you are only using cold water, or only at one fixture, then the issue is not likely to be your heater. Assuming you do proceed with flushing your heater: In your case I would definitely replace the valve at the bottom of the tank (where you hook up the hose) with a much better ball valve. You can pick one up easily at a local Lowes, Home Depot, or other hardware store for around $10. The reason I recommend changing it is because a ball valve has a much larger opening that will let larger chunks of sediment out without clogging. There are some other videos on KZbin that show how easy it is to replace the valve, and I'm sure that you can get free specific installation advice wherever you purchase the replacement valve. Roughly, your steps would be: Follow my video steps until the point where the tank is completely empty of water. Then, remove the hose from the drain valve, remove the old drain valve, and install the new one. Then proceed with the steps of flushing with short bursts of water from the cold inlet. At the point when you have the old drain valve removed, grab a flashlight and look into the hole it came out of to see what you can see inside the tank. Hopefully that will give you an idea of how your tank is holding up. I'm happy to try to answer any other questions you have. Good luck!

[@dancingvon2198]

@@AmplifyDIY Thanks so much for the response and the good question re: brownish water. OK what I've noticed is only the hot water, in each of 3 hot water faucets ( kitchen, bathroom sink & tub) comes out brownish almost every day. I keep white bowls and a white pail under each and run hot water until I see it's clear. I'd say almost 10 gallons this morning. That's one reason I jumped online and found your excellent video. :-) But must add I've had issues with plumbing since I bought old house over 15 yrs. ago. Main water line 'blew' barely 2 mos after buying. Kitchen & bathroom had to be gutted & a few but obviously not all pipes were repaired or replaced. The plumber in charge was in his 80's then ( only plumber I could find in remote area ). He's long gone, 2 yrs later I had no water in house for 3 months. No joke. It took that long to find a plumber to replace main water line & valve outside. A few mos. later the old 30 gal. water heater 'blew' while I was gone, got home to see flooded floor & water still coming out of heater. Got a new one. One yr. ago when temps were single digit I left 3 faucets ( cold water ) dripping but pipe(s) froze again, I went outside armed with hair dryer by the main water valve & was able to thaw that pipe. It's barely 4 inches off ground. Pipes froze twice in the past. So last July meter readers let me know they suspected a leak. I shut off main valve & called plumber. Took a few hrs for him to find a busted pipe under house. It was repaired. ( not replaced ), what I noticed just before learning of Major leak ( 10,000 gals. leaked ) was the Cold water was running brownish. It no longer does, though. Sorry this was long, but it sounds like you may have ideas that may help me out. If I could move I'd do it tomorrow. In July I told plumber hot water was running brownish, asked what he'd charge to flush it, he told me to hook a hose up to it & do it myself. ( again, living in remote area has big downsides ) Another question, single digit temps due this wknd. in this area, do you know a good way to keep pipes from freezing? I leave faucets running, leave cabinets open etc. Problem seems to be under house, pipes too close to ground maybe, hardly anyone can fit under there to do much. Thanks Again! I watched your video again, read a few comments and anyone who said negative about it I think you're right, they may be plumbers who don't want 'regular' folks to know how to flush their water heaters. Ignore 'em. You've provided excellent service to lots of us. Let me know what you think, if it may not be water heater or ?

[@MH-ty7fb]

Dancing von sounds like you have old rusted pipes that need to be completely replaced. Probably galvanized. When you touch one, the ones next to it break, so on and so forth until they’ve all broken like dominoes. I was a plumber for about 5 years and I refused to touch galvanized pipes without homeowners signing a form that said I was not responsible for more pipes breaking if I tried to patch a leak. Replacing all the pipes with PEX is surprisingly affordable vs copper, etc but yes, still not something those of us can shell out for who live paycheck to paycheck.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Yes, Dancing, it sounds like you have bigger issues than just needing to flush a water heater. Probably time to call a pro. Good luck!

[@ericshay5621]

First of all, THANK YOU!!! As an FYI. I flushed the tank many, many times as white particulate matter kept coming out. After awhile, the floor became wet. I thought a leak had developed. I talked with a plumber. Turns out the water heater was "sweating". It appears as if the water is coming from under the heater, but NO LEAK. If this happens to anyone, be aware and don't panic....

[@Brazda25]

Eric Shay it’s because your tank was hot and now it’s filled with ice cold water. Like a glass of nice water on a hot summer day.

[@elliottmanning]

I have been doing this all wrong for years!!! Will start doing it right this year!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@pepperjack8]

If you were doing it wrong all these years and still work fine, then maybe there is no reason to do it. The best thing you can do to your heater is to vacuum the ventilation holes. My 40 years old water heater still work and I never flushed it. I do vacuum around it, also you need to make sure that there is enough air/ventilation around the heater.

[@aeldallkushi5882]

pepperjack8 40 years goddamn!

[@stonecold8320]

@@pepperjack8 yes, air ventilation only required for gas heaters

[@d3w4yn3]

Golden video!!! Simple instructions, fast and not wasting anybody's time, kind of like talking to a friend that kind of just "gets" me. You probably just saved me $2,000 from a plumber on the phone that just asked "well, do you want to just replace it so you don't have to worry about it any more?". Yep, you just saved me from that!

[@slowwwlearner6125]

This video was very helpful, I drained the tank successfully although mine did not drain well with the 25 second blasts of water probably due to so much build up sediment . Was 4 years without a flush! I know now not to wait this long next time.

[@hootgibson3544]

Excellent video! This saved me from doing a couple of really stupid things on my first go. Thank you very much!

[@thatchanguy]

Super easy to follow. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad it was helpful!

[@camillezeno4927]

Most comprehensive video on draining the water heater I've seen. Thank you!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Wow, thanks!

[@chichan9461]

This is the best water heater flushing video. Thank you.

[@powerem7950]

Great tutorial. Step by step and very detailed. The best guide I've seen on KZbin. Thank you for doing this. Mine was pretty much the same but in CO my water heater is in the basement and I had to drain it through the large drain hole next to the water heater.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great job!

[@angelleighmccoy]

So helpful! Thank you! I'm a new home owner, and this was just what I needed.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad it was helpful, Angel!

[@stevied9082]

Thank you much for sharing this video. By far the most detailed video I've seen on how to properly flush the water heater. Mine is just a lil over a year old & I've been looking at vids on how to properly maintain it. Thank you again for sharing step by step. God Bless you.

[@marshallborder9089]

Good video - enjoyed !

[@craigmarsden6380]

Thanks for the great video and easy to understand detailed instructions. Mine is about 6 years old and had never been never flushed, so this was a time consuming job. At first the water at the bottom was brown. I had to run the cold water to agitate and drain many many many times, but eventually I got to clear water.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Nice job, Craig! Now that you have done it, if you keep it up annually it'll be a much quicker process each year. Thanks for watching!

[@mikewarner3597]

Thank you, I followed all these instructions and got a lot of sediment out. Appreciate your work on this video!

[@cindygillespie4694]

Thank you so much! As a person 'pushing 70' married to an ill husband, I appreciate this tutorial immensely! We had a new water heater installed last year about this time (near Labor Day W/E) as the old one was not well-maintained by the previous owner of our (new-to-us) home. it was non-functional. I accomplished this flushing task today using your video and now know that I CAN DO IT!!! It is currently full of fresh water and heating as I write this. Specific, clear, and concise guidance can never be underestimated. Thank you once again!

[@AmplifyDIY]

I love hearing about when one of my videos helps make a difference for someone. Great job getting your heater flushed!

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

Nicely done! very accurate,simple explanations and instructions. anyone should be able to do this, from this video's instructions. kudos!.