- 1). Drain your hot water tank about once every two years or after moving into a new home to reduce sediment buildup.
- 2). Turn off the power supply to your hot water heater. This is an important safety precaution. Don't clean anything or remove any parts until the power supply is off. For gas water heaters, turn the gas down to the lowest setting. You should also turn off the cold water supply to your hot water heater tank.
- 3). Find the drain valve. This valve should be located near the bottom of your hot water heater tank. Attach a hose to this valve and bring the other end to a nearby drain.
- 4). Turn on the hot water supply to your hot water heater tank by turning on the hot water in any fixture in your home. For example, you can turn on the hot water in your utility tub.
- 5). Open the drain valve on your hot water heater tank and allow it to empty completely through the hose and into the drain.
- 6). Turn off the fixture that's running hot water and shut off the drain valve that you opened once the tank is completely drained. Then, turn on the cold water in your fixture. This process loosens up the sediment that has settled in the tank.
- 7). Allow the tank to fill up about halfway and then drain it again. Continue this process until you no longer see a sediment buildup in the water. You will be able to tell when all of the sediment has been cleaned when the water running through the hose and into your drain is clear.
- 8). Shut the drain valve off once the sediment is cleaned and open up the cold water supply to let the tank fill up. Turn on the power supply for your hot water heater once you're finished. For gas hot water heaters, you can turn the gas back up to its original setting.
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