Do you need to learn how to flush water heater with vinegar and want to exhibit it today? Well, you’re in the right spot. Continue reading below and discover the most incredible but straightforward steps in flushing your water heater.
If you are not confident about washing all the sediments that you think we’re building up in the base of your water heater, with these simple steps, you will be able to manage it on your own. Keep reading to learn more about the sediments and flushing with vinegar.
Even water heater has water filters, and, commonly, sediments can build up over time. Due to the deposits, the performance of your water heater either slows down or does not produce hotter water in an allocated time. So, let’s flush out those sediments that block you and your family from enjoying the hot water you need at home.
Why Use Vinegar In A Water Heater?
Many asked why flushing out the sediments with vinegar is better than anything else. But why is that people do not use cleaning solutions or other elements? Well, usually water heaters produce warm water for the kitchen use to make meals, and of course, in the bathroom, which can be affected by the chemical. Vinegar is the best choice for you. You can also easily purchase vinegar in stores–preferably in gallons. You will need at least 4 gallons of undiluted vinegar.
Steps To Flush Water Heater With Vinegar
Cleaning or flushing a water heater is needed to be done at least two times a year, but some prefer to do it once a year or a few times. Take note that the sediments build up over time and if you clean or flush your water heater more regularly, you will notice fewer sediments in the flushed water or vinegar. But no matter how many deposits you’ll flush out, the important thing here is to get them off from the water heater, and you can change your cleaning schedule after that.
So, if you are ready to start, let’s prepare the things you will need to perform the flushing, such as two garden hoses, a submersible pump, 4 gallons of undiluted vinegar, a 5-gallon bucket, and a flat screw or Philip’s screw. If you have already prepared them, let’s start learning how to flush water heater with vinegar!
Step #1. Turn off the power supply
If either electricity or gas-powered your water heater, you must turn it off before anything else. It will ensure your safety while doing the process and ensure that no electricity or gas flows into the water heater. As for gas-powered, you can turn off the gas valve. You can easily indicate the gas valve. Just follow the gas pipe that goes through the water heater. The valve is usually in between linear and diaphragm valves. On the other hand, turn it off if your water heater is electric-powered and supports an individual circuit breaker. But, if you have not installed a separate breaker, you can shut down the entire electric supply. You can use a voltmeter to make sure that there is no excess electricity in the wires.
Step #2. Close water valves
Now that you have turned off the power supply for the water heaters, you have to close the hot water outlet and the cold water inlet. Upon completing these two, it will prevent water from going in and out of the water heater. Don’t worry, we’ll drain them out, but of course, to make sure it doesn’t splash into you, we have to use garden hoses. After you close down the cold and hot water valves, locate the pressure relief valves on the hot water line to release the pressure stuck inside, then drain the water by turning on the faucet near the water heater.
After draining the excess water, attach the hose to the hot water drain valve and secure the hoses to fit into the drain valve. Put the other end into the bucket. Remember to be careful in releasing the remaining hot water. It’s time for you to pick up your vinegar. To locate the anode rod in your water heater, you can read your handbook manual to help you indicate the anode rod, but usually, the anode rod is at the top of your water heater. After locating it, remove it carefully and use a funnel to deliver the vinegar to the water heater.
You can use at least 3 to 4 gallons of undiluted vinegar. Most water heaters are made of stainless steel and react into other elements used as cleaning agents. Leave the vinegar for at least 6 hours inside and a few hours longer, if you prefer.
Step #3. Flush the water heater
After leaving the vinegar for hours, you can now flush it out. Connect the garden hose into the drain valve and open it. You can use a bucket to contain the vinegar and throw it away. If you notice that the water discharge slows down, massage the hoses as the sediments can clog them then, throw the vinegar. Open the cold water inlet, run water into the water heater, and then drain it.
Repeat the process until there is no evidence of vinegar in your heater, and remove the hoses. After you notice that there is no smell of vinegar in the flushed water, fill the tank and turn on the power source of the water heater. Set the water temperature that you want. It may also be a good idea to read about how often should i flush my water heater.
It’s A Wrap!
Now that you have learned how to flush water heater with vinegar, you can clean out the sediments stuck into your heater. Flushing or cleaning your water heater will help you maintain its performance, as well as extend the life span. The water heater is an essential device in your home, and you would like to damage them sooner than its average life span. You may also want to read about how to install a hybrid water heater and how to clean thermocouples on water heater.