How Often Do I Need My Water Heater Flushed?
Flushing a water heater is one of the basic steps of cleaning the system. During a water heater flush, all the water in the tank is drained out so any sediment or other build up inside can be removed. In some situations, the tank will also need to be descaled to remove build up of limescale, one of the side effects of hard water.
Regular flushing is an important part of proper routine maintenance for water heaters in Glendale, AZ. But how often do you need to schedule this service for your water heater?
Why a tank needs to be flushed in the first place
Before going into more detail about when to have the hot water tank flushed out, we’ll look at why it needs it in the first place. After all, it’s a closed system, so there isn’t any reason for particles to get inside it.
Except a water heater isn’t a closed system, not like a boiler that circulates the same water through radiators and baseboard heaters and then back to a tank. A water heater brings in water from outside through the municipal freshwater system. Although this water goes through treatment to remove chemicals and minerals from it, and also passes through a filter on its way to the water heater, some impurities can still make it through. Over time, these impurities will begin to settle along the bottom of the tank, creating a sediment layer. Getting rid of this sediment layer is the purpose of tank flushing
The reason you don’t want this mineral sediment in the water heater is that it reduces system energy efficiency. The layer of sediment blocks proper transfer of heat into the tank. You may notice a drop in hot water volume and a rise in heating bills. The tank may start to make bubbling and popping noises, which is the sound of a layer of heated water under the sediment layer rising up through it.
We recommend annual tank flushing
It can sometimes take years for the sediment layer to become thick enough that it causes noticeable problems. But you don’t want to wait for warning signs and poor water heater performance before taking action. A regular schedule of annual tank flushing will keep the system clean and working at peak efficiency and effectiveness.
You can find instructions online for how to do a tank flush yourself. It’s not a straightforward job and takes extra equipment and time. We recommend you leave this task to professionals, who can not only do it correctly and quickly, but won’t create any possible safety hazards.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about remembering to arrange for an annual tank flush, because this service is included in our regular maintenance program. We do a full inspection and tune-up for your water heater each time we come to your house to handle other plumbing maintenance jobs. Our plan also comes with extra benefits such as discounts on repairs and priority status for emergency calls.
The Trusted Plumber serves Glendale, AZ. Call us to sign up for maintenance for your water heater or to schedule other plumbing jobs.
This post first appeared on https://www.thetrustedplumber.com
