Removing some of the water heater crud

[50yr Street Mech]

I've been flushing natural gas water heaters for 20 years thru the drain valve. The water in NY is soft. I just hook up a heavy duty garden hose to it and let it blast out of the garage. Gas stays on, water stays on. I've gotten 15 yrs out of tanks. Mind you, I have 3 filters on the city water before it gets to the tank. A sediment, and 2 carbon filters. But, the tanks do run less after an annual flush anyway, and the water is hotter, so it is getting some crud out of them. I think the soft water plays a big role in this also.

 

[zzyzzx]

Did this WH have the standard plastic or brass needle valve for a drain valve? Those typically won't pass much debris and if they do, they won't re-seat. If you really want to flush these buggers you have to install a.ball valve in place of the awful needle valves they use in OEM form.

And do this when it's new. I'd love to install a full bore ball valve in mine, but since my water heater is already 29 years old, I'm not so sure that's a good idea to do at this point.

 

[mr_boring]

I soft wash the shady side of my house with my hot water heater. The mold/mildew gets thick on that side, and I "think" the hot water helps to remove it, and even if it doesn't - then that's my water heater flush.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Get a ladder and a ZEP squirt bottle ( shoots far ). Fill it with clorox and squirt the bad mildew. Let it sit a bit, then hit it with the hot water tank water. Comes out like new. Mold and mildew hate clorox Instant death.

 

[rszappa1]

There is a product called sediment buster that you screw on the drain and introduce some air to help bust up the sediment as you flush...It has got a lot of good reviews online...

 

[rszappa1]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sediment...5?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101187322

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Read the reviews. Seems like it works. Have a 10 yr old 75 gallon tank, and I don't have the money for a new one. Even though my water is filtered 3X before it gets to the tank, the tank itself makes sediment in the form of rust / anode bar droppings. Try to flush it 2X a year. Always works better afterwards. Thanks for the link

 

[sw99]

I have the sediment buster and it works great. You can hear it stir the debris up at the bottom of the tank and the clear viewing window is eye candy for us nerds that geek out on these silly things. Definitely worth the money if you have a sediment issue.

 

[rijndael]

FWIW: If you hear your tank making a clicking/popping sound as it turns on, that's a clue that you have sediment buildup at the bottom.

 

[Fitter30]

Minerals are is suspension in the water. Heating the water drive the minerals out. The hotter the water temp the more the minerals are driven out. That's why if you every cut a gas open more minerals settle in the bottom like a rock.