I have ALWAYS wondered what that horrible smell is/was...doesn't happen in propane water heater only in electric water heater. THANK YOU!!

Never flush your water heater??? I'm always skeptical of anyone who uses the term "never" or "always." Not all, but most areas have lime/calcium in the water. You will see evidence of this as white water spots on your drinking glasses and as a white crust on shower heads. Lime is corrosive. The accumulation of lime will eventually create pin-holes in the water heater vessel. At that point, replacement of the water heater is the only option.

Anode replacement should be replaced.

Change the standard magnesium rod to an aluminum one. Some water chemistries make the rods gas off as they breakdown.

DimebagVision, you are a guy after my own heart!!

Are you a plumber because you make more sense than him

@@roberta9950 Thanks, I am a builder and try and get deep into the nuances of each trade.

I would like to add that sediment swirls inside a water heater abrading the plastic fill tube, Especially on the fancy heaters with the curved fill tube. As the heater replenishes the water used, it introduces the cold water at the bottom so as to keep the hot water at the top for use. when the fill tube gets perforated, the cold water dilutes the hot water making warm or worse, cold water. I've seen fill tubes that looked like swiss cheese with literally thousands of holes in them. Eventually the fill tube will just disintegrate and the cold water will fill on the top and go right out the hot side giving a no hot water impression. Obviously this is all worse on a well system that may get fine sand in the tank but any sediment in the tank will work the same.

Richard is spot on. I have been in the building business for 45 yrs and I'm a critical bastard.. like to do things right. Being a builder, with many personal friends who are/were plumbers, this is the consensus in the industry. Situations can very, depending on your water, from a little to a lot of build up. I feel sediment build up will effect a gas heater more, as the heat transfer surface is starting to be covered/affected right from the start. In an electric, it takes quite a few inches to reach the bottom element. Put in the better drain valve when it's new, and clean every year, if needed. You'll be able to get a feel how often yours needs it after a couple times draining. He is also correct on the sacrificial anode.

@@TW14137 Thanks. So many plumbers just dont really care about or understand water heaters. Builders that provide a complete product are more likely to have a deeper understanding of a homes components.

Was thinking I need to clean mine because it sounds the same, popping after turning on for a few minutes. I live in Las Vegas and the water is very hard, a lot of calcium. I'd say it really depends on the water.

Def necessary in Florida I had a 5 gallon bucket of milk come out. Then everything heated quicker

We have hard well water. The first time our lower heat element burned out I removed it and was amazed how much calcium was piled up on the bottom. I made a spatula out of a piece of copper pipe that fit into the hole for the heating element and carefully scooped out most of the crud. Flushing would not get it out. Now I do this every couple of years and the heating elements don't burn out because they don't get buried in sediment and overheat. The unit is still working and it's 30 years old!

Would you recommend flushing a gas water heater and changing the valve on the bottom to facilitate cleanin?

What would be the typical cost of flushing ?

What about orange or brown water? I have it coming out of my bathtub for a few seconds. In called my water tank company they said to flush it

@@GRRRRRRRRRRME Assuming your water supply is good, I would guess this is more a problem with your supply lines than the hot water tank.

I wonder if the tanks in the old days are made with thicker steel? No one seems to mention this aspect. I never flush my tank just because I didn't know there was a the tank life expectancy...new home owner. I purchased my new home in 2002 and the water tank leak exactly the year it was stated on the tank and then the tank I replaced leaked exaclty 1 year before it was support to expire. I was going to replace it based on the life expectancy year stated on the tank so now I don't trust that number anymore. It seems like the manufacturer know exactly then the tank will leak if you don't flush it regularly. I live in Southern California so I wonder if flushing the tank would help.

@@thecsucihai You are probably correct in your thinking that old hot water tanks may have used thicker steel. I really don’t know for sure. I do know some new tanks are better than others. I always recommend spending a little more on a better quality tank, since installation labor is a big part of the equation. I personally have a gas hot water tank that was installed in 1990 and it has never been flushed. It still works great. My high end water pressure is set at 60psi and I have a water softener.

@@Steve-kl3mo I have a Rheem Performance Platinum 12 years life. I will update the status of my tank in 2032 :) I suggest people with tank that are still going strong after 20-30 years let us know what brand and model they have.

Herd, im a tech at apartments and i flush every tank i put new elements in. Also, elements are like brake pads, change both at the same time!

Agree 100%. I get a bucket of sediments every two years! If I don’t clean the sediments the bottom heating element gets toast!

I drained mine and I got nothing but water that came out what a waste!

Where in Florida do you reside? Do you disclose prices for your work? Mine is well water. I'm in Wesley Chapel. My husband tried & couldn't figure it out.

@@hazeleyezluv you can KZfaq it. It’s not a difficult procedure. All you really need is a garden hose to drain the tank.

My dad wasn't a plumber, but had a couple of friends in different trades. One was a plumber who told him not to bother flushing it. My dad is 88; a Marine, and still not too proud to listen to advice. I appreciate this guy's dad too.

The mechanics car is always the last to get fixed. Just because he didn't do it does not mean it is not a good idea. Common sense- get the dirt out...unless you enjoy showering and brushing your teeth with that type of cruddy, smelling water. I flushed mine a few times and the water did not look very good. It can also get into your new washing machine, dishwasher, etc.

I think it depends on your region.

Christopher Westfall, you're right about anode design. Old Grumpy Plumber shouldn't be passing on bum info.

Yes he really didn't why the Anonde rod is there, also didn't talk about well water as opposed to city water.

Correct. I'm a plumber of 18 years. I like Grumpy Plumbers attitude but I can't agree with his beliefs on this topic.

Even our little tiny camper (6 gallon tank) water heater has an anode rod. Makes sense that larger tanks also have one. To not replace it makes no sense....it’s there for a reason!

How can I get rid of “hammering?” I’ve already tried opening all spigots and then turn it on again. Didn’t work. Help!

Water heater / hot water tank. You heat hot water similar to taking heat out of cold air. - It's a relative argument, so it's not exactly wrong as the educated philosophers may maintain ☺.

@@louf7178 It's a COLD water heater......

@@leeclark6102 You missed the point, and I know there's no point in arguing with you. It's a circular argument since hot loses temperature. Also, it can be understood as a state and function title - hot water (state) heater (function). And, yes, "hot" water does need to be heated.

thats because most plumbers keep shit real . not like these safe space colored hair new plumbers we got these days , or the flip side of that is a guy who thinks he is hot shit cause he can make a turd go down hill and do it faster than others .. in the end , its just shit rolling down hill at 1/8 inch per foot , dont chew your finger nails and payday is every friday .. oh by the way fuck plumbers ! i was one off and on for over 15 years . commercial and residential new build and service side .. fuck plumbers !!

It is called a water heater, not a hot water heater. Why would anyone want something to heat hot water? Add a water softener and a water filter the sediment will no longer be an issue.

@@scomeau66 soft water does nothing for the water heater except speeds up process of destroying it saltwater is not good for the water heater and when the soft water pops you get these beads through out the whole house and in every fixture. water softeners no good now get a water treatment system is a lot better

​@@frankhoward3120 First of all you clearly have no idea what is inside a water softener. If you have ever opened one you would know that there is no possibility of beads or more appropriately resin, breaking out and circulating through the pipes. Someone would have had to purposely damage the secondary screen after somehow screwing up the resin bed strainer. After that, the beads which resemble glass would have to somehow float through over two feet of water. Marbles don't float upwards through water neither would the resin beads inside a water softener. You are making an unrealistic claim to impose an unrealistic fear. Do you have any clue what water treatment is? I guess not. Fundamentally water treatment is filtration. And the more filtered the more pure your water is. The first step is physical filtration with a mesh or fabric then series of ever reducing sized aggregate called a media filter. Then a water softener to remove minerals that would otherwise quickly clog up your next step, a carbon filter. The water softener primarily removes Calcium and Magnesium however it is fundamentally a filter, a water treatment filter. Then an Activated Carbon (AC) filter which removes so very much. Like Organic chemicals, Pesticides, chloroform, VOC’s Solvents, Industrial cleaners and most importantly Chlorine. Without a water softener, your Carbon filter will capture the Calcium and Magnesium. it will also foul up pretty quickly. The removal of chorine with the AC is important to protect the Reverse Osmosis membrane. A quality RO membrane that resembles spaghetti, not one of the Thin Film Composite versions. Now you will have very clean water. To go further would be to de-ionize the water with an EDI system and purge it with Ozone. At that point it would be USP water suitable for pharmaceutical manufacturing. An Ozone destruct unit would be installed before any use point. With fewer than 100 cfu, an a TOC of less than 500 and conductivity of 1.3 TS. (For reference drinking water has a specification of only less than 500 CFU.) This cleaned water is good for Pharma but still dirty as it would have bacterial endotoxins. There is no criteria for the number of endotoxins allowed in drinking water. To remove endotoxins you need to take your pharma water (USP Water) and distill it. Then you get Water For Injection or WFI’y water. Which is what is in your vaccine injection. This is very clean water but still dirty for one last industry which would be microprocessors. They require ultra-pure water 18.2 meg. ohm. Water so clean that it goes bad when exposed to air. It absorbs CO2 which destroys/contaminates the water and lowers its resistivity. If you were to drink ultra-pure water it would suck minerals (electrolytes) out of your organs. That is what water treatment is. Some, all, or parts, water treatment removes contaminates. Back to the water softener, you know the thing that removes contaminants like calcium and magnesium. Your sad argument (yes truly sad) doesn’t hold water. While what you are saying makes perfect sense in that soft water is bad for a water heater. It is like saying the Fifth nuclear bomb will hurt. The hard water is worse for your water heater and your household fixtures. It is a frivolous argument because the minerals that a water softener removes are far more damaging than the softened water. I get ten-plus years out of every tank-style water heater. Well over 100 water heaters with no maintenance whatsoever. Some with water softeners some without. If a water softener was as bad as you think, the resolution would be to simply spend $40 to replace the anode rod every so often. While I find all water heater services to have diminishing returns. If you are worried about a water softener's adverse effects on your water heater, then $40 is certainly a very small price to pay to counter those effects that come with the benefits of softened water which are lower scale buildup inside your water heater and the reduced scale build up on your household fixtures. Softened water is better for your skin and your hair and for washing your clothes. Yes, my friend without a water softener there are numerous drawbacks in addition to the increase of scale in your entire water system. Which requires far more effort to remove than it would to replace the $40 anode. (By the way, for some odd reason, all of my anodes have lasted the full life of the water heater. So, even the basic claim that soft water is bad for water heaters appears to have been considered by the manufacturers and the anode rods are properly sized to counteract the small negative effects of softened water, negating your claim of damage, ultimately making your comments to be that of unrealistic fear.) Not to mention the water softener incidentally removes sediment which would otherwise compromise your water heater (creating an insulating mass on the bottom of your tank as well as your entire plumbing system.) In either case, the cost of servicing a water heater far exceeds any benefits as they are specified to last 10 years. They meet that specification easily without any service. And when it fails after its expected lifespan are you really going to be surprised that it didn’t last longer than the manufacturer specified it would? By pure physical action, the water softener removes particulates that would otherwise settle in your water heater. Sediment which can never be fully flushed without significant effort. Obviously, it degrades the efficiency and lifespan of a water heater. Fundamentally anyone installing a water softener should be bright enough to install a water filter before it to remove the entrained sediment. With that being said, the water you consume should be full of minerals. When installing a water softener a knowledgeable person will run a separate line of hard water to the kitchen sink.

​@@frankhoward3120 Whoa, you really got schooled hard.

@@frankhoward3120 Water softeners do not produce salt water. The brine is used to clean the resin bed which is then flushed out, removing the brine.

I have two. One is 19 years old other is 11. Never been flushed....as recommended by my father in law. The retired plumber

@@mikej238 So your retired father who was a plumber recommended that you do NOT flush?

My house is 17 years old with original water heater, never been flushed.

9 months later and still going strong. 19 years old.

@@mikej238 it depends on what kind of eater you have , we have lots of lime so we have to flush and take out the sediments ! And anyone that tells you not to is a n idiot ! And the water pressure coming to a home is never 150 pli and it’s not going to cause a water heater to go bad ! Water heater is set to a 150 psi pop off valve ! I bet tgis old man would tell you that you can’t replace the cathode rod in a water heater too !

Most water heaters in Australia come with magnesium anodes, which is a little less hazardous for your health compared to water coming from a tank where aluminium anodes are in use.

EXACTLY!

You can still get magnesium rods in USA

Remember he’s a plumber. If he’s not coming to your house, he’s not getting paid.

I came hear to say the same thing. Dudes dad is not a plumber or a professional 😂😂😂

I habe have an low peak electric water heater any idea why it would not be working?

I have a 16yo electric in SE Alabama and a 30yo gas water heater in Western PA. Never flushed either. Was going to this week until I saw this video.

@@coolcanuck2570 It was a John wood

A you from mi?

@@victoriacousins4501 no, bc Canada.

yeah, but your lively hood depends on shit breaking :-P ie: people being lazy about doing maintenance.

No disrespect but you’re wrong here and so is he. I repair water heaters, boilers etc all day long and there are issues that come from not draining and flushing your water heater.

@@larryzeka5011 What kind of issues? I have a residential, natural gas water heater that’s about 2 years old and I’ve been considering whether to flush it or not. It operates perfectly right now. Flushing is real easy since it’s in the basement near a drain.

@@larryzeka5011 lol

I agree with the theory 'if it's not broken, don't touch it' sometimes but with something's a little maintenance that costs nothing really goes a long way. Plumbers who tell you not to maintain your equipment, seem to gain the most. Would you believe a mechanic if he told you not to bother doing oil changes on your car?

@@dave8599 there is no warranty issue to worry after it expires and the anode rod wouldn’t even need to be changed out within the first 4 or 5 years or more.anyway! I believe his explanation of the purpose of the rod is incorrect. The rods purpose is for the minerals in the water to attack the rod instead of the tank walls. If it’s changed out every 4 or 5 years or so it supposedly can double the life of the water heater. How often they need to be changed depends on the source of and type of water. There is another video tutorial on you tube that shows the removal of the sediment from the bottom of the tank using a wet vac with slender clear hose attachment to fit through the heating element port (on an electric water heater). you’ll know when it needs to be cleaned out because it sounds like rocks tumbling around and it’s annoying to hear. It’s a very helpful video to watch and learn. Also, water softeners can erode a anode rod faster because of the salt used. My dad attempted to change his anode (Arizona water with a water softening system) and found there was only a stub 1” long of the 3’ long rod left and the water heater was only 6 years old!

@@larryzeka5011 Tell us why

You should apply that theory the next time you think about changing the oil in your car. Let us know how that works out for you.

Exactly

Municipal water supplies are all different considering sources have tested gives you a heads-up on intervals on anode or tank replacements agree strongly good guys advice on topic of oxidation and corrosion of water heaters in home's...😔

Yep. Hard water WILL create sediment in the bottom of a water heater. All a water heater is is a low temp boiler after all. When I put a new water heater in I remove the junky valve in the bottom and install a stainless nipple with full port ball valve. Attach a hose to that will give you good flow when flushing. I'm in the midwest with city water which is very hard. I also have a good quality softener. When I do flush, I never really have anything bad coming out.

I love the plumber and his knowledge about that rod. This rod is actually has a name ANODE ROD. If you buy the 6 years warranty heater - it has only 1 ANODE ROD. 12 years - will be almost the same heater with 2 ANODE RODs. Why? Because ANODE has a 2nd part in every battery - cathode. Chemical reaction is going from cathode and anode - and anode is being destroyed by the reaction protecting cathode. In the water heater cathode is all heater and anode is that anode rod which is being destroyed by the chemical reaction and PROTECTS your cathode - heater body. So - DO NOT TRUST this guy! Change your $20 ANODE ROD every 4-6 years to protect your heater. and.. YES - it is like 27 mm socket and best is impact wrench - if this is not a hot water nipple with the rod down there. II need also to mention - this anode rod is originally like a rod 3/4" in diameter and 4' long/ In 5 years it all almost gone... Where is it going to? It is going to that sediment that you MUST to flush. If you did not flush for a long time - YES it may clog you faucet down there. This is going to be a fun part - you have to use a piece if hard wire to push that clog thru the open faucet and have a fun with the hot water on your hands. After the 1st time fun - you will not forget to do it next year. 2 more thing about the water pressure. HE IS RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT and not only because of the water heater but ALSO not metal piping like to dishwasher, refrigerator and washer. 1st - I have a water valve upfront of my house with 55 psi set and I am checking it often 2nd - I have a water expansion tank that protects from pressure building up inside the house due to the hot water expansion in the water heater.

@@azaslavs1 I use only hot water for my bath. And for washing dishes. I use 0% cold water. And I do not bother to use hot water for hand washing, because that only wastes hot water and I do not want to wait for the hot water to arrive. If cold water needs to be mixed, then the water heater thermostat is probably set too high. At least on a gas water heater, the temperature setting is is rather easy to adjust. Do I have a rod? My Dad who knew how to do these things, replaced my water heater sometime around 2 decades ago. So that means my "new" water heater is fairly old by now. I do not flush, because I just am not that handy, and I do not want to mess with what I do not so well understand. I would be afraid that the water faucet won't turn off again, and whoever shows us how to do our home maintenance?

I agree that hell comment just proves dad is ignorant.

Oh my God - I was thinking how much I missed my dad, too! Back in 1997 he fitted my electric boiler and rigged everything up (he was a lecturer). He was sixty two at the time. He cared about me. He loved to detail the principles of how the things he was providing, for me, worked. I didn't pay him enough attention (on those occasions, specifically). Yes, I really miss him. Here's to Dads!!

@@batintheattic7293 We never do it's human nature I think. I didn't visit my mum much after her stroke and she passed in November of sepsis 77 year's old. She didn't like talking on the phone after the stroke either, was frustrating I might of got 10 minutes with her then she'd want to hang up. Hey my 3.5 year old AO Smith 30 gallon is making a clunking noise like once an hr, I thought it was a ghost in the bathroom, it's a Moble home, should I be concerned?

Flush your water heater monthly this guy may be old but he is dead wrong on every point he made

@@slackbomb My last water heater was 17 year's old and I never flushed it, this new one is 3.5 year's old and I turned on the water to flush a little and the water was clear not brown so I only took out about a gallon and put the drywall cover back on

​@@slackbomb monthly!? You need a whole house filter.

Bruce Doxey My plumbing code requires me to have a prv set to 60 psi. (PressureReducingValve) equipped with a stop/check valve to prevent any back flow. I inspect the inlet screen every few years, and the only time it's been dirty is when the water main has been opened to do work/new hookups on it.

Grumpy Pb is full of sh!t. Pressure reduction valve regulator on the inbound reduces his '150 psi' supply. A pressure relief trips itself everytime the tank heats (water expands as it heats). If it leaks when you manually trigger it, it will also leak when the tank heats up. Sacrificial Anode protects the copper fittings, and the "glass" lining. The crap lying in the bottom of the tank speeds up corrosion, but so does chlorine in the water supply. Frankly, anyone whose tank only lasts 5 years needs a better plumber.

150 psi?? not a single water appliance in your house would last long like that! definitely get a pressure valve!

No utility would send 150 PSI water to a residential neighborhood. Average Is 75 to 80 PSI

Homes in our neighborhood have a pressure regulator on the main right after the meter. Takes pressure down to around 60 psi. When it goes out, pressure shoots up to 120 psi.

💯. You are doing it the right way

Thank you thank you... Well done Mark

He's giving bad advice. He stopped learning years ago.

if you have a gas one, that works perfect, great idea. Mine is electric and the element corrodes inside over time and it breaks apart losing metal, so that would need to be flushed and replaced, but still a great idea to add a filter inline on the cold as it may really help on either type system. Our friends just added a WHOLE HOUSE filter and that would be the most expensive way but best for everything in the house that has water like the toilets, faucets, showers, drinking water, Fridge ice, etc., especially if your water is hard (more minerals in it). Thanks for that nugget!

Does a 5micron filter remove the minerals in the water? I have hard water from a well.

He's not the dude 🤦‍♂️ there's only one dude 😂

Spot on! That was a good one Dave! LOL.

😆

He won't stand for aggression, man.... ;)

or that Paul Rudd is good son!

Notice you didn’t get a heart for your comment that’s because this guy is a complete crack pot. Do not listen to him!!!

@@bongo646 I didn’t. 😀

THE SAME HERE , 1985 AO SMITH !

@@LouieXI0I You guys know you're calling the gremlins to your water heater, right? Look guys, we missed two! Let's break 'em!!! woo hoo. Now you have water everywhere.

@@robertthomas5906 ABSOLUTELY, I'M RESEARCHING WHAT BRAND TO BUY, TO DO AN R&R NEXT WEEK.

Water heaters life span nowadays 5-7 years. Unless you replace the anode rod, then you’ll get your money’s worth.

@@LouieXI0I A.O.Smith.

Welbie Frazier, nice to hear from a fellow plumber. Isn’t retirement great?!! People have a lot of questions for me and I thoroughly enjoy answering them. Keeps me sharp.

To get rid of a smelly water smell you must change the anode tube to a aluminum one I Now I had this problem. It solved the problem

C L, I’m 18 years older then you and I still have a lot to learn. Thanks for your comments.

@@TheGrumpyPlumber never to Ole to learn!

Cl, sorry bout your loss!

care to name it? thanks!

I'm sure the poster with the self-cleaning water heater is using a pot on the cook stove for their hot water!😂

exactly this- water quality is probably the biggest determining factor.......

That is the big variable that is so important but so ignored, water quality. The same water heater in several different water-sourced locations will result in very different results.

Chris, you are so right!! Thanks for verifying my view.

15yrs and going strong.. no maintenance on mine since install

You and me! Years back we moved a few blocks from our first house to our new home and within a week, we purchased a water softener. The difference between the aquifers between those two towns was an eye-opener. Couldn't believe the scale that formed seemingly overnight. I think it might have saved our water heater a lot of trouble too.

Dude if you think percolating sounds are ok wait till you hear the boom after the relief valve fails to operate properly. This advice here is dangerous and unsound.

What happened in between the "over 20" year old original heater and the "approximately 20" year old current water heater in your 50 year old house? Did you go without hot water for 8-10 years?

Hots on the left, colds on the right and shit don’t run uphill

Why do they make a "clunk noice when only 4 year's old? Mine is a AO Smith 30 gallon gas heater in a mobile home

but if not used as much, replacing rod and flushing WILL extend tank life

There’s a difference between honesty and just flat out incorrect information and bad advice…

And that is exactly what this video is. Terrible advise.

you need to take advice from someone smarter than what they are working on

A truly honest plumber who firmly believes flushing is a waste of money, would refuse to do those particular jobs

you can also look at water meter to check for leaks

@@jeffreyplumber1975 True, but it won't tell me what floor its on like the pressure gauge will.

You're assuming he's correct

Ya, and I thought I was just lazy but now I know I am pretty damn smart.

Len in MI So glad you mentioned vacuuming the lime out. We do this and it really makes a difference. The first time we tried it, my husband cut an old hoola-hoop and attached to wet vac hose. The hoop was stiff enough to dig into the lime and break it up. Took about 30-45 minutes but lime was thoroughly removed from bottom of tank. We have hard water and no softener, so we usually have this job to do every 10 to 12 years.

@@forgiven2812 Great minds think alike. Good job Dowden Crew 👍. PS. I was making so many house calls, repeat customers every year for elements burning out. I knew why, but there wasn't any way to remove the crap in the bottom of the tank. And we made a way didn't we🎉. Pay it forward, knowledge is everything.

Good idea, I was wondering what the easiest way to remove that lime was.

@@johnthree1611 It takes a while, 20 minutes or so, better than a 200 or $1200.00 bill from a plumber. Yes the hose will plug once in a while, just pull it out and break up the chunks. You'll get it.👍

The resolution is worth it.... you are correct in your answer and the grumpy plumber is just that a grumpy plumber cutting corners to "save money" I would NEVER take advice from the grumpy corner cutter....other people shouldn't either after this video...

Thanks, I was wondering if I would have to chime in. I burst out laughing when he said the magnesium would "plug holes".

yes the mag. rods are meant to be sacrificial rods to protect tank deterioation. the longer warantee water heaters usually have a second rod tube for the cold water intake in the old days. i am not sure they do that anymore. I ran across a copper water heater in the 80's that was 30-40 years old.

@@rjo49 What he explained is kind of the same thing though not Scientifically accurate. When looking inside the water heater what he sees is the effect of the Magnesium Rod. It is protecting the insides of the tank and deteriorating. He just sees it from a different angle and not using the Science. No different than those in Electronics potentially learning 2 different methods of Electron Flow (positive or negative). They both get the job right but only one side is commonly used and taught scientifically.

What about using a impact tool...to remove the nut to get the rod...that might work...if you have to use a 4 ft. Pipe..that's really in there..and why is it in there that tight...?well love all the comments...

@stolenelection Yes. I live in an area with very hard water. When my water heater failed (from a bad plastic control - sprayed water everywhere) it was 1/3 full of mineral deposits - sort of a gel substance. I knew something was wrong when I turned off the water and opened the drain, and the water trickled out. It was only 8 years old. Keep in mind the water in my area has a lot of calcium and/or magnesium in it, and it will leave spots on my sink if I don't wipe them up. (have to use acid, too. The are stubborn) I'm guessing my water is pretty bad, but the water tastes great. (the county buys it from a water supplier who also sells bottled water)

I do that. My heater is 32 years old.

@@excavatoree I live in New Jersey. The water here has lots of calcium. I set the water temperature in medium (never too hot as it costs more & I don't need such hot boiling water). I replaced my water heater last year. Should I still flush the water from the water heater just because water in my area has lots of calcium?

@@TK-if3ks I would. The plumber in this video disagrees. My justification is cost/benefit analysis. It costs almost nothing to drain it, and MIGHT make it last longer. If I'm wrong, I'm out a few minutes a year. If I'm right, I've saved money by prolonging the life of my water heater. My water heater I didn't drain lasted 8 years before it was 1/3 full of mineral deposits. It was so bad when I opened the valve to drain it (to stop the leak) it just trickled out. How anyone can say that I shouldn't have drained those before they became so bad to impede flow is beyond me. Maybe for most people draining is unnecessary, but with very hard water, I will have to have better evidence for not draining that someone saying "don't drain it. You don't need to."

@@TK-if3ks the problem is like he said that the calcium clogs up the drain ,which it does in my experience. Usually the only way you can clean it out is with a vacuum if it is electric through the element bung. The only time you do that is when there's a problem.

Shelly Burrow, glad you are doing your own maintenance on your home. If you have any questions in the future, please ask and I’ll see if I can help.

@@TheGrumpyPlumber Hey grumpy, isn't her name Shelly TRIBETT? Not Burrow?

You would get ripped off if you hired this clown ! He is a fool he doesn’t know a damn thing ! Yes it does help to flush your water heater if you live in an area with a lot of lime ! It’s easier if you have electric water heater you can vacuum out the lime buildup in the bottom ! We have tanks that have gone 30 years doing this ! Mine right now is over ten years old and it’s cleaned each year

@@fuzzyelm1 agree 100%. After 9 years (2009 install), we had sediment that was 3 inches OVER the lower element. I flushed it in 2018, and plan to do another flush this fall after 5 years, as well as replace the anode. Two choices here...either do the regular flush and maintenance (however often it needs depending on the water) or write a check for $750-$1000 for a new water heater install. For me, I'll be happy keeping that money in my pocket.

You have been fooled again

How do you know when it’s time to flush the water tank?

@@lilianshepard3783 I just do it annually.

I'm on a well also. Just replaced mine after 27 years. I think I flushed mine once and I pulled and cut off the bar then replaced the plug. No more stink. Bottom was starting to rust out. Time to replace.

I grew up on a farm and was on a well and lived in the same house from 5 to 35 yrs old.we dint do one thing to that water heater and always had good hot water. They just dont make things like they use to. Things today are made to break.

@@benplummer8866 Amen to that. My Grandfather would be shocked at how cheaply things are made and just how much we throw away.

It's safer and a lot more economical to set the temp at about 130.

@@OneWildTurkey It will get even hotter than that where the water in the tank gets insulated from the lime layer. So when it builds up to a certain degree what the setting is at doesnt really matter any more as far as drop out but 135° is a safer setting. Water at 125° is sufficent and even safer for children. Some areas have such a high lime content it doesnt take much to drop it out especially if you have an on demand tankless water heater but they are designed to be cleaned. In an electric waterheater the lime will build up directly on the elements and drop the lime to bottom. Then the elements will usually over heat and burn out and require change out. At that point the lime can be removed with a wet dry vacuum with a piece of pex hose ir tubing of some kind onthe end of the hose. Flushing doesnt do much except in a tankless where you have to do that with a recirulating pump kit using an acid solution to clean out the heat echanger yearly.

We swapped out a 30yo WH in South Texas, high lime content, was 1/3 full of sediment... our 5 yo WH is popping right now..

Lime will deposit just fine at room temperature, depending on local water chemistry. Heat just accelerates the rate of deposit.

@@wdtaut5650 yup

Yes, I used a plumber to clean out a clog and he charged me an insane amount. You CANNOT trust plumbers - they only want to gouge customers.

Sorry to hear about your dad.

Shop vac is faster and more efficient.

First and foremost: switch the hydro off to the unit !

Shop vac with a piece of 1/2 pex taped to the hose. Worked out great

Thats actually the opposite of what he said. He says not to bother flushing. Right? Did you watch the whole video?

@@johnmac7883 You are right. The reason that flushing is a waste of time is that gas water heaters are designed to have the majority of their heat transfer occurring in the stack and not at the bottom where the sediment lies. For electric, there are just no heating element sediment issues. This guy knows how things work, most plumbers either don't or don't care. Job security, providing services to those that don't know.

Seconded. I'm on a well with about 50psi, and my gas water heater is now 27 years old and working perfectly. It gets flushed every year or so, from the lower drain valve into a garden hose. The flushed water runs brown for a minute or two, then cloudy, and then clear. It doesn't cost me anything.

Our water heater lasted almost 25 years with zero maintenance. As did just about everyone else's in our neighborhood. Never heard of water heaters needing to be replaced in 5 years unless you buy the cheapest pile of crap available.

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb 35 yrs for my parents. Never did anything to it.

Another California homeowner who has never flushed our water heater, going on 28 years. Zero maintenance.

I agree 💯 I also do it to my camper one every I use it and pull the plug and rod every time and put it up dry

Where do you live? I live in Southern California and my heater makes popping noises every time it heats up water, is that cause for concern?

@@ngonz89 I live in the western suburbs of Chicago IL. The popping noise maybe from sediment build up in the bottom of your heater if it is gas. If electric the noise may be normal or could be an element problem. I am not proficient on electric water heaters, I will admit that. The company I currently work for will do an annual water flush on water heaters. Maybe I just was lucky and got a great water heater or is it because with 6 kids growing up here the last 20 plus years it got a lot of use and was kept in a constant state of "flush"? I think no matter what is done to the water heater it typically should last around 10 years. If longer, then great!

@@haroldwarner8980 wow! Mine is 10 years old so it’s probably going to stop working soon. Thanks so much for your reply!

Always bothers me when people say" hot water heater" why would you need a device to heat hot water? An anode is softer and more reactive to corrosion, this the name "sacrificial" ...

@@davegeorge9538 If you don’t periodically apply heat the water will eventually get cold, so you need to heat hot water if you want it to stay hot.

Yikes. You can't fix the rumbling/ popping problem?

Ron, how did you get that to work? I REALLY need to do this, tried everything. What exactly did you use, 2in to 1 1/2in or smaller. A piece of pipe through the bottom hole. I've got a foot of calcium in there and the heater is only 5yrs old. Have a well, but there is a calcium/sulfur filter on it. Thanks man, really.

@@danielvoulkos8274 Daniel: I removed the bottom element, buying an extra large socket from True Value (5.00), using a pry bar to loosen and get the element out.(make sure to turn off the power to the heater first), then I bought three feet of clear flexible plastic tubing, an inch and one eighth in dia. I heated the tubing in boiling water to stretch it a bit over the end of my smaller shop vac hard plastic end , then for good measure used a zip tie pulled tight with a pliers (not as tough as it sounds), the took off the filter inside mt vac. Drained the water down to the bottom of the access, the started the vac up and moved the flexible clear end back and forth (blindly) as far in and around as I could. Took about half an hour. Worked remarkably well. Bought a new element, screwed it in and reconnected the two feed wires. Put the insulation and face plate back on (two screws) and I was done. Hope that helps. By the way, the heavy duty plastic tube is the same as that used by farmers on their milking machines. Heavy duty but relatively expensive.

@@ronconradt4427 Gotcha. Pretty much figured that, thanks. That tube would really fit the end of an 1 1/2 vac hose. I'll pick some up tomorrow. Got a shop full of tools.

@@danielvoulkos8274 I just did this last night. Bottom element burned out. Once you get it drained down enough below the bottom element, put a piece of small clear tubing on the end of your wet dry vac sealing it on with duck tape around it that you can take off once you're done. Stick it down in there and suck out as much as you possibly can. Unfortunately there isn't a great way to see how much is coming out - we got a lot of rust out this last time. I recommend getting the elements on amazon - you can buy the whole kit for $34 - hot and bottom elements and it comes with two thermostats in case you need it.

thanks a lot for the comment. Your dad sounded great. It is great to have a father in the trades, i learned a lot about working hard with quality and integrity from him. - Jordan

Last line…ALWAYS TRUE. But do maintain it. I work HVAC. About 85% of what I fix is due to failure to simply REPLACE THE FILTER regularly.

Do you change the oil in your car?

@@jimreilly917 I think the topic is Water Heater not Air Handler. 🙂

@@larmondoflairallen4705 Water Heater, Car Engine...Apples and Oranges.

@@jessikat6692 regular maintenance is the point.

Our mains run at around 95 PSI as they go up a hill.

55psi? My 75 PSI, commercial copper lines and drilled Speakman Shower heads allow for 3 minute showers.🤔