flushing hot water heater

I did the vinegar soak this spring and it worked wonders. Completely eliminated the rotten egg smell we experienced last year. I tried sanitizing the fresh water system with bleach last year but still had the smell. The owner's manual talked about a vinegar flush so I did it. Here is how:

1. Open relief valve and remove the drain plug to drain the water heater.
2. Remove the relief valve and replace the drain plug.
3. Use a funnel to pour the vinegar/water mixture into the water heater.
4. Install the relief valve and close it.
5. Run the water heater through several cycles of heating and allowing it to cool down then heat up again. We let it cycle on and off for a full day (8 hours). You do not run the vinegar solution through any of your pipes during this process.
6. Turn the water heater off and I let it cool down.
7. Open the relief valve and remove the drain plug and completely drain the water heater.
8. Close relief valve and put drain plug back in (or replace the drain plug with a close nipple and ball valve like I did to make it easier to drain from now on).
9. I did a complete fresh water system sanitize with bleach and ran a lot of it through the water heater. Be sure to run plenty of fresh water through the system after the bleach in drained. Go camping and enjoy not smelling the rotten eggs.

They make a wand to insert into the drain plug that really helps flush things out.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Why the vinegar?

Vinegar soak is only a last means method of removing heavy scale build up.
You have to remove the PRV........pour 4 gallons of vinegar (6 gallon WH) in using a funnel. top off with water. Install PRV. Turn water heater ON.
Let it heat/cool 4 times....then drain via drain plug and flush thoroughly.


Normal draining thru drain plug then flushing takes care of most normal cleaning maintenance needs.

I remove drain plug.
Then turn on water supply and let it rush/flush thru water heater.
That helps get of debris/scale
Turn off water supply
Then using a 'wand' (any RV store) attached to garden hose.......stick wand in thru drain plug, point it up and flush/rinse down tank walls.
Install drain plug. Done.

The reason i am doing this is last time i dewinterized.I had a lot of white stuff coming from the tap in the kitchen sink.

Why the vinegar?

Vinegar soak is only a last means method of removing heavy scale build up.
You have to remove the PRV........pour 4 gallons of vinegar (6 gallon WH) in using a funnel. top off with water. Install PRV. Turn water heater ON.
Let it heat/cool 4 times....then drain via drain plug and flush thoroughly.


Normal draining thru drain plug then flushing takes care of most normal cleaning maintenance needs.

I remove drain plug.
Then turn on water supply and let it rush/flush thru water heater.
That helps get of debris/scale
Turn off water supply
Then using a 'wand' (any RV store) attached to garden hose.......stick wand in thru drain plug, point it up and flush/rinse down tank walls.
Install drain plug. Done.

Its a lot easier to pull the plug flush water through it and be done