Draining water heater

[thunderhead]

Can I flush my water heater with the water supply still on? The reason I ask is because my water is so full of crap that every time I shut the supply off it clogs my toilet inlets.
Also, the water heater is not turned on (don't live in the house, rehabbing it) so will sediment still form?

 

[Phog]

Yes you can flush tank with the water on. Rust and sediment formation will eventually stop if the system is not in use & valves all tightly shut. The oxygen and minerals in the water will get used up over time. But every time you turn on the service water and cycle some new water into the system, it will bring with it dissolved oxygen and minerals. So if you're just turning it off when you leave and back on during work days that wouldn't help.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[thunderhead]

Thanks Phog. The water heater stays off all the time. So if I don't turn the faucet to hot I should not have to drain the water heater again?

 

[Reach4]

Also, consider flushing out your pressure tank, using the drain valve at the base of the tank. Pump off, drain tank empty, pump on for 10 seconds. Repeat until sediment is not coming out. If there was a lot of sediment, that could have gotten into the nipple to the pressure switch or the pressure switch itself. This way, less stuff to make it to the water heater or toilet tanks.

Consider adding a whole-house filter of some sort, after the pressure tank and pressure switch.

 

[thunderhead]

Thanks Reach. I will definitely have to add a filter system before I move in. This water is horrid, smells like rotten eggs bad! I put two gallons of bleach in it a few weeks ago but as soon as that went through the system the smell came back.

 

[Reach4]

Thanks Reach. I will definitely have to add a filter system before I move in. This water is horrid, smells like rotten eggs bad! I put two gallons of bleach in it a few weeks ago but as soon as that went through the system the smell came back.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my well and plumbing sanitizing write-up. It may be overkill, but the effects will last much longer than if you just dump bleach.

 

[Plumber69]

Flushing your hotwatertank wont help issues with your toilet. Unless for some odd reason you have hot water filling your toilets