Planning to flush water heater I installed last year - my area has hard water. Youtube research found lots of how-to videos - and this one saying don't bother:

[www.youtube.com]

Searching old posts on this site I found this one that also suggests flushing isn't needed:

[www.plbg.com]

and this one where bernabeu (who has given me lots of good advice in the past) says how to do it, suggesting that it is worth doing:

[www.plbg.com]

What is the consensus - is flushing worthwhile?

I've never done it nor do I know anyone who has or even asked to have it done, I dont think it's worth the hassle it may set debis loose into the water distribution system and clog something costing you more time and money, although bernabeu is very wise I disagree



Edited 2 times.

Yes do it. I replace the existing bib drain and install a brass nipple and a full port ball valve. It allows for faster draining and removing larger particles.

srloren

draining and flushing are NOT the same

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I have NEVER done it with my water heaters, but there is no real reason not to. If could be like a cold. If you don't do anything it will last 14 days, but it you treat it, it will only last two weeks.

if you treat it with sufficient aggression it will only last 13-1/2 days

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

But probably cost twice as much.

If you flush from Day 1, I suspect you would not have the issues he mentions with cutting a "river" thru the sediment when you open the valve. Once you have a layer of sediment in the heater, it's going to be tough to get rid of.

Plastic valves are lousy. You get rid of that when you install the heater. I have a brass boiler drain valve, which seems to work pretty well. Sure you could get a full-port ball valve, and that would work better.

I have a stainless heater with a cupronickel heat exchanger, so no anode rod. The science behind the anode rod seems solid, but of course it doesn't always work out that way in the real world. When I had a glass-lined tank, I kept up the anode rods. Got about 14 years out of it. Would it have started leaking sooner if I hadn't replaced the rod a few times? Who knows?

The hydrogen sulfide smell and hydrogen gas accumulation, yeah, bacterial reaction with magnesium. Besides just removing the rod, you can get an aluminum rod, put up with it, or try disinfecting the tank.

If you pay someone to flush your heater, I agree, you are wasting money. But I've never heard anyone say you're doing any harm if you flush it yourself. The danger is in the valve not closing. Same with T&P valve. I haven't tested mine in a while, but I've found they take a while to re-seat. Have never had to replace, but I know others whose T&P started dripping and would not stop.

What I draw from his comments is that most of the causes of water heater failure are beyond your control; they have to do with water chemistry & hardness, water pressure, the realities of heat transfer. You may be able to do some things to forestall failure, but on average, as a plumber would see, they all go sooner or later.

From what I recall in posts some years ago, you want a long lasting tank, make it out of monel. Was it that the monel tank companies went bankrupt, because nobody needed replacements? If the norm were heater leasing, monel tanks would be a good investment. But with a high up front cost, hard to compete with steel. Glass-lined steel tanks are cheap, but you are starting in the hole.

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Links to the State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code:
[docs.legis.wisconsin.gov]
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I am not a plumber.
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excellent explanation

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638