A Cool tool to help with your water heater!
Hey, guys. Today, we're trying out a new product designed to flush a water heater more effectively. It’s called a Sediment Buster. Let’s check it out!
Now if you want to try this at home, there are a few things you need to do. If you're working with an electric water heater, you'll need to disconnect the power by turning off the breaker. For a gas heater like mine, I turned it down to "vacation" mode to keep the pilot light on without firing up the heater.
Next, go inside and turn on a hot water faucet, preferably a bathtub faucet, to get full flow. Then, come back out and turn off the cold water inlet to the tank.
Now you’ll want to hook up the drain hose and the Sediment Buster. Once on, I used a screwdriver to open the valve. With the hot water faucet open and the cold water inlet turned off, there should be minimal pressure in the tank.
Now I tested this out on an old water heater that wasn’t connected, so I filled the water heater with enough water to show the sediment removal process. I added about a foot of water to the tank. Almost immediately the Sediment Buster started to show murky water, meaning sediment was being removed.
Next, I added a few bursts of air to ensure good airflow. This step is crucial, especially for older water heaters where the drain valve might be blocked. Blowing air in before draining can help move sediment away from the drain valve.
We set our compressor to 75 PSI and gave it a few bursts. You could definitely hear the air moving inside, which confirmed that sediment was being disturbed.
When I opened the drain valve, water flow was decent, but it slowed down as sediment filled the drain hole. By adding a few more bursts of air from the Sediment Buster, we could break up the sediment and keep the water flowing.
Initially, we used a 100-foot hose, which made draining slow. Switching to a shorter hose improved the flow significantly. So keep that in mind if you’re going to try this. A shorter hose was definitely better. And the Sediment Buster showed its effectiveness in breaking up and removing sediment. The water started to clear up.
The Sediment Buster does a great job of breaking up sediment in the tank, making it easier to flush out. If you're a homeowner, this tool offers an easy way to help maintain your water heater. For plumbers, it can be a valuable addition to your toolbox, helping you clear out sediment in any water tank you drain.
While my initial setup used gravity for draining, I might try using the Sediment Buster with pressurized water next time. Keeping the cold water inlet open could possibly help push out sediment more effectively. Overall, I think this is a great tool.
If you've tried this tool, let me know your thoughts. Did it work for you? Did it help clean out your water heater? I’d love to know what you think!
If you’d like to get a Sediment Buster of your own, check out the link below.
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