• Does my hot water heater need to be flushed?

    Mar.30.2009

    I live in a top floor condo (2 floors), and noticed for the last 3 months that there is sediment buildup only in one bathroom in my unit. The other bathroom does not have this problem. Building management says that since it is only in one bathroom and in my unit they do not have to take care of it. However, our plumber says that the hot water holding tank has to be flushed.

    Maria, Baltimore, MD

    This condition could be related to a lot of issues. It could be due to sediment build-up in the water tank itself. Just about all manufacturers recommend routine sediment flushes to keep your water heater operating at peak performance. The problem could also be linked to a turned down thermostat or depending on the age of your hot water heater, it could be due to dip tube failure.
    The dip tube is the plastic inlet tube in your water heater that brings the cold water into the bottom of the water heater tank. This allows the upper part of the tank to hold only hot water and prevent incoming cold water from mixing with existing hot water. The majority of the dip tubes manufactured between1993 and 1997 were made of plastic, which can quickly become brittle from the hot water. If the tube breaks, it can mix the cold water with the hot water, greatly reducing the efficiency of the unit. Not only would this reduce the amount of hot water flow, but the plastic particles could be distributed through the system and clog the aerators. This can cause a dramatic drop off in the water flow from showers and faucets due to the clogging from the particles. My recommendation would be to call a professional plumber for a thorough inspection and water heater flush.

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