Do I Need to Flush My Water Heater?

Your water heater deals with a lot of stress, much like your car does. And like your car, it needs regular maintenance to run at its best for as long as it should. Your car needs a regular oil change to get rid of old oil that's filled up with gunk and grit over time. For your water heater, a regular flush does the same thing.

As water runs through your water heater, it leaves behind minerals like calcium. Those minerals settle and build up in the bottom of the tank. This creates a layer of sediment that can get thick enough to reduce the amount of water your tank can heat. Also, the heating element of a water heater is at the bottom of the tank. If the heating element gets blocked by sediment, then your water heater has to work harder to heat the water.

Because of all that, manufacturers recommend an annual water heater flush. Flushing it out once a year can help prevent potential problems like the ones listed above. It's also more expensive to leave it than to flush it each year. It can even increase the life of your water heater by up to a decade. That can save you the money for repairs and from replacing it too soon.

The good news is that a water heater flush is a simple bit of maintenance. Any skilled plumber should be able to do the job. On top of that, a basic water heater flush is something that you can even do yourself with a little bit of work. Regardless of who does the job for you, it’s an easy way to help your water heater last for years or decades.