Water Heater Flushing and Maintenance in Spartanburg, SC

Sediment settles in the bottom of a tank, where the gas burner or lower element has to heat through it. That is the popping and rumbling sound, and it costs efficiency and shortens the tank's life. Draining a few gallons off the bottom once a year, or a full flush, keeps it in check.

We shut off the heat source, open the drain valve until the water runs clear, check the relief valve and the anode rod while we are there, then refill and relight. On an older tank that has never been flushed, a drain valve can clog or start to drip, so it is a job worth having done with someone on hand to replace it.

Sediment collects at the bottom of every tank: mineral that settles out as water heats, rust flakes and debris from the supply. On a gas tank, that layer sits between the burner and the water, so the burner works harder and the tank bottom runs hotter. On an electric tank it can bury the lower element.

Spartanburg Water's supply is soft, so mineral buildup here is lighter than in hard-water parts of the country. Sediment still accumulates, and flushing is still what most manufacturers recommend at least once a year.

We turn the heater off, attach a hose to the drain valve and run water through the tank until it comes out clear, opening and closing the cold supply to stir up what has settled. An old plastic drain valve that will not close cleanly after the flush gets replaced with a better one.

The anode rod is a long rod of magnesium or aluminum that screws into the top of the tank. It corrodes on purpose, so the steel tank does not. Once it is eaten down to its steel core wire, the tank starts to rust from the inside.

How fast an anode wears depends on water chemistry and how much hot water the house uses. We pull it and look. If more than a few inches of core wire are exposed, it is time for a new one. A fresh anode on a sound tank is one of the cheapest ways to add life.

If the hot water smells of rotten eggs, an aluminum-zinc anode often helps. Where headroom is tight, a segmented rod goes in one link at a time. Powered anodes, which use a small electrical current instead of a sacrificial metal, are another option.

The temperature and pressure relief valve is the last line of defense if a thermostat fails. We lift its lever to confirm it opens and reseats without dripping. A valve that does not open, or will not stop leaking afterward, gets replaced.

On gas tanks we look at the burner and the flame, clean the air intake screen on sealed-combustion models, check the flue baffle and vent for rust or blockage, and leak-test the gas connection. On electric tanks we check elements, thermostats and wiring connections for heat damage.

If there is an expansion tank, we tap it and check its air charge. A waterlogged expansion tank does nothing, and the relief valve is usually the first to show it.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Consumer Product Safety Commission both point to 120 degrees Fahrenheit as a sensible setting for most homes. It cuts scalding risk, especially for small children and older adults, and it saves energy over a higher setting.

Households with a dishwasher that has no booster heater, or with someone whose doctor has advised a higher setting, may want it a bit warmer. In that case a mixing valve at the heater can store water hotter while sending 120-degree water to the taps.