To Flush Your Water Heater, or Not to Flush Your Water Heater.

Flushing your water heater on a regular basis can help get rid of sediment that can build up in the tank. That sediment can cause your water heater to work much harder than it should. It can also clog the pipes leading to and from the unit. In some cases, sediment and mineral buildup can even cost the water heater 50% of its lifespan. By flushing your water heater every year, you can help to prevent these issues.

Flushing your water heater can also help prolong its lifespan. When sediment and minerals get built up in the tank, they can cause the metal to corrode faster. This can lead to leaks and other issues that can cause the water heater to fail. Flushing it can help remove the buildup, preventing corrosion and extending its lifespan. It's common for a water heater to last a decade longer if it's flushed every year.

On top of all that, 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. Depending on how long a water heater goes without a flush, there can be several inches less space in the tank. 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.

And once it finally does heat through it, the sediment floats up and the still-cold water replaces it. That shocks the hot metal sides of the tank, weakening them and causing a large leak. This kind of leak can happen without any warning and can leave you with a mechanical room covered in hot water. Flushing the unit every year lowers the chance of this happening by a huge margin.