Back-flushing a clogged drain on a hot water heater

Trying to flush the nasty water from your electric hot water heater but the drain is clogged? Let me show you how to back-flush it in 4K resolution.

Link to my additional video showing detailed instructions for changing a deteriorated anode rod plus flush:

Disclaimer: This video is for demonstrations purposes only! Pilot View Productions assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Pilot View Productions recommends safe practices when working around electricity or with power tools, electrical equipment, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Pilot View Productions, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Pilot View Productions. Attempt your own repairs only if you can accept personal responsibility for the results.

[sonjabrackin]

Thank you for your video. My husband is 89 and I am 86 and your video resolved our problem with trying in vain to drain our upstairs hot water heater. God bless you for sharing and saving us a plummers bill.😊

[timhopper]

This was just what I needed to solve my problem with my 20 year old water heater. Followed everyone elses advice but it wouldnt drain. Now its draining and my problem is solved. Thanks for posting this

[serf]

Your wife sounds extremely talented to have built yalls house

[kevin__]

Great video, was getting extremely annoyed with not being able to drain mine. Thanks again!

[stevwebers]

Great video! This is just what I needed to finally get the water from my water heater to drain it! I still had trouble getting it to flow without the cold water supply being turned on, but when I turned it on, it flowed and blew out lots of junk. I repeated this several times. I may just have to flush my water heater with the supply on constantly. Thanks for the great advice!

[NightSky]

Great video! Excellent Detail, Concise, Informative, Appreciate the Tips on Repeat backflush, using the Cold water input, Tip on the Female to Female connector, and the Completion re-check steps. This is a Model "How To" video!!

[Jsalas]

Thank you!!!! This did the trick and thanks for the coupler info I needed from lowes.

[jjbackwoods]

Excellent vid. I needed 2 hoses as bottom one wouldn’t drain, removed top plug/ valve and stuck a hose there. I will use this flush method this weekend though

[listenupp]

Beautiful presentation in detail and style!

[petestephen]

Thank you for the very informative and well produced video. My house is on a well in the NC mountains near Boone. When I tried to flush my water heater last Spring, very little water came out. I expect I need to back flush it. Thanks for explaining the steps. BTW.. It looks like you are somewhere near Pilot Mountain.

[NightSky]

Idea: Make a Video on How To write, film, audio record, and edit a "How To" video, because you check all the boxes on creating one worth watching --especially for us DIY-ers who have limited free time 👏👍🏆

[edwardgarcia]

Thank you! I'm back flushing my water heater right now, it works!

[Bennyhsu]

My water heater would not drain and I’m glad I found our video.

The first time I turned on the hose, I could hear the sediments whirling around. I turned it off and disconnected it from the faucet, but it still didn’t drain. The hot water knob was turn on inside the house. I tried to turn on the cold water on the water heater and that had water rushing out! The bucket filled up with water and was a grayish color. But when I turned off the cold water, it still wasn’t draining by itself. Only when i turned on the cold water would any water come out. I tried to back flush it a few more times but never heard any sediments whirling around those times. Any idea for me on how to drain it or is running the cold water through the tank and letting it out enough? I did it for about 15 mins and the water wasn’t as grayish. more clear but still had little gray pieces floating around. Thanks!

[reelinreggie]

I tried backflushing my downstairs tank 4x but it didn't work. I also tried turning the water on to the tank to flush it out and nothing comes out.

My tank upstairs only drains if I turn the water on to the tank. When I turn the water off nothing comes out. Despite my issues it was an excellent video.

[lindsaywilliambrown]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Could I ask you for clarification on the beginning? I get the idea of backflushing but from the video I can't tell where the outside (cool water) hose goes on the water heater. The water heater hose seemed to be for the hot water. Could someone clarify for me? It sounds like I need to have two entry points for hoses for the water heater for this process (one for the cold to shoot in and one for the hot to shoot out) and I don't see that on mine. Thanks for explaining!

[dianamoran]

The sediment is calcium. Horrible in well water. I tried to drain my mom's water heater today, but it is so clogged up it won't drain. I'm going to try your back wash method. Thanks for posting

[karenavagyan]

Thats great video. I recently tried to drain my water heater and it didn’t drain well, i guess thats the reason. But i also have pressure regilator on the tank. Do you have one ? When i opened pressure regulator it drained a wTer from that pipe

[kylesplace]

ill try this but i already took mountains of sediment out the water heater that came with my preowned mobile home. I got it out while renovating. Literally like a gallon of large flake sediment. Made a big mess because I had to poke at the hole to remove the junk obviously draining onto the floor. After living in it now for a month the hot water stinks. I just want to get it drained so I can replace it.

[silvergrizzly]

I wish I could get to my hot water tank Dean, it's in the back of my closet inside its own sealed closet and all of my shirts are hanging in front of that door, lol 😆. I've had it burst twice in 25 years and it's not a fun clean up. I guess I could dig it out and hook a hose up to it and run it out my bedroom window, lol. 👍👍 Jay.

[bigdogu]

Drain it then take that drain valve out and replace with a full port ball valve and an adapter to fit whatever hose you are using.