Tank Draining & Flushing - Why Do That?
Sediment forms on the bottom of the tank as a natural result of normal everyday operation. Several materials combine in the wet, hot environment to form a dirty, rusty layer that blankets the floor while minerals accumulate throughout on surfaces such as the walls, heater thermostat, T&P valve, sacrificial anode and the elements in electric water heaters.
This sediment may consist of many particulates including dirt and sand that is ingested into the tank through the water supply, scale that results from minerals in the water such as calcium and magnesium and rust or corrosion that forms through sacrificial anode depletion and/or rusting of exposed steel surfaces.
The type and amount of sediment may vary greatly depending on a variety of factors such as tank quality, water temperature set point, mineral concentrations in the water, heater usage and type and condition of the sacrificial anode.
Ultimately, sound water heater preventive maintenance includes proper draining and flushing of the tank on a regular basis. Most homeowners don't realize the actual extent and composition of the accumulations that are hiding in their water heaters - when finally removed through proper flushing, they are always stunned to see what is actually removed.
The preceding video shows how proper flushing removes the trapped sediment that simple draining through the factory drain valve does not. Installing a full port valve in place of the factory valve is key in proper water heater flushing. This tank was first emptied by draining and then flushed using a focused stream of water via the wand tool to agitate and remove the accumulations found lurking within the tank.
What follows next is the actual sediment cleaned from the tank utilizing the flushing method shown in the video. Once the water is drained from the pail, the sediment removed becomes quite visible.
Another example of sediment removed using our service - this time from a 12 year old tank. It was dried and sifted to show how large some of the drained accumulations can be. The smaller material is mostly depleted sacrificial anode material, dirt and minerals while the larger chunks are calcium deposits removed from the tank through the full port valve installed by our technician. These accumulations would be impossible to remove utilizing the small factory installed drain valve found on most tanks. The ruler and golf ball are included to provide a good idea of the size of the accumulations removed.
