Tips to thoroughly flush silt from hot water heat?

wahoowad · Feb 20, 2014

My neighborhood well system sometimes produces silt in the water so last year I installed a basic whole house water filter. It works great and instantly my cold water and ice cubes became sparkly and clear.

But I continue to get silt in my hot water. It is only noticeable when we run a bath or fill up a glass with hot water. I drained/refilled my hot water heater after installing the water filter and thought that would solve my problem but I continue to get silty hot water.

I assume there was still silt clinging to the walls inside the water heater? Or perhaps I didn't fully drain it? I recall opening and closing the water feed to the water heater a few times to try and flush it somewhat, yet did not seem to do the trick. What should I do differently the next time I put a hose on it and drain it into the backyard?

semipro · Feb 21, 2014

wahoowad said:
My neighborhood well system sometimes produces silt in the water so last year I installed a basic whole house water filter. It works great and instantly my cold water and ice cubes became sparkly and clear.

But I continue to get silt in my hot water. It is only noticeable when we run a bath or fill up a glass with hot water. I drained/refilled my hot water heater after installing the water filter and thought that would solve my problem but I continue to get silty hot water.

I assume there was still silt clinging to the walls inside the water heater? Or perhaps I didn't fully drain it? I recall opening and closing the water feed to the water heater a few times to try and flush it somewhat, yet did not seem to do the trick. What should I do differently the next time I put a hose on it and drain it into the backyard?

The bottom of most water heaters is convex allowing sediment to accumulate around the outside of the tank.
If the water heater is electric you can pull the bottom element and insert a wash wand made of PVC inside the tank to force suspended sediment out the open drain valve. Pulling the drain valve would probably speed things up.
Of course before you pull the bottom element you have to shut off the breaker and drain the tank down below the bottom element. Opening the temp/pressure release valve while draining speeds things up.

This is good reference site: http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/

Circus · Feb 21, 2014

We have a different problem, mine is hard water but cleaning is cleaning. My water heater fills with what looks like pebbles. The original drain valve is too small and barely drains. Replacing the drain with something more free flowing will allow the cold water inlet to scour the sediment out more effectively.
If your heater gurgles and pops while heating it needs flushing.

Highbeam · Feb 21, 2014

How old is the water heater? There's a point where replacing the dang thing is cheaper than spending all the time cleaning it and then after you're done, it starts leaking.

Can we assume that you flushed the bajeepers out of your plumbing system? Lot's of 3/4" plumbing in a house and 3/4" will easily flow 15 gpm yet the faucet aerator only allows 0.5 gpm. This means that water flows slowly in your pipes and the low points, bends, etc. can hold pockets of mud.

Oh and cloudy water can be silt or air. If you set a glass of this "silty" water on the counter does the silt settle out and leave slime on the bottom? or does it disappear?

wahoowad · Feb 25, 2014

My silt is silt. We sometimes have air and I know what that looks like.

I did a poor man's flush the last time I drained it by opening the water feed numerous times to try and flush things. I'll just try it again, possibly opening the bottom element and see if I can flush further with a hose?

1kzwoman · Mar 1, 2014

RV section of local hardware store should have a device made for this job. About$7 as I recall

Swedishchef · Mar 2, 2014

I drained my tank about 2 years ago when a heating element busted and needed to be replaced. You can attach a compressor attachment to the top of the tank and a garden hose on the bottom. $8 piece at a decent hardware store/plumbing store. You just shut off the water to the tank, release the pressure inside, remove the safety valve and attach the compressor attachment. You tank will empty in 1-3 minutes.

I hope this helps!

Andrew

maverick06 · Mar 4, 2014

i have drained 2 water heaters when they burned out, what a PIA.

hose at the bottom, and i put comprssed air to the top. not having a fitting for it, i just wrapped a rag around the air nozzle. look a lot longer than 3-5 min, but i was drianing it up into a set tub. make sure you turn the power off before you truely drain it.

BUT if you just want to flush, put a hose on the bottom and open up the valve to it, the incoming water will help flush. I have done this too, the hose discharges to a bucket in the set tup. you keep flushing until the bucket doesnt show anything built up. I was doing this to flush scale buildup.

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Tips to thoroughly flush silt from hot water heat?

wahoowad

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semipro

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Circus

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Highbeam

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wahoowad

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1kzwoman

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Swedishchef

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maverick06

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