If there is sediment buildup in bottom of heater, flushing the water heater may help. Water heater manufacturers recommend flushing periodically. How often depends upon the quality of the water served to your home or business. Areas with high mineral content, such as in Anaheim and most of Southern California, should be flushed more often.

1. Turn off the heater! If your unit is gas, set the gas valve to "Pilot" to prevent the burners from coming on while you are flushing it. If your heater is electric be sure to turn off the circuit breakers. If the water level drops below the heating elements and the thermostat turns the elements on, the heating elements will probably burn out quite rapidly.

2. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Make sure the outlet of the hose is in a safe area away from pets and children. It can be very hot and can scald quickly.

3. Close the shut off valve on the cold inlet to the unit.

4. Carefully open the temperature/pressure relief valve at the top of the tank by lifting the lever. Leave the valve open.

5. Open the drain valve at the bottom of the heater allowing the water to flow out through the garden hose.

     a. If the sediment is clogging the drain valve then try closing the temperature/pressure relief valve and turn the cold inlet valve back on to "power flush" the sediment out.

     b. In instances where sediment may have hardened into chunks that can block the drain valve, you may have to run the hot water out of the tank by opening a hot water faucet and let the water flow until it is cool. Then you can remove the garden hose and use a long screwdriver break to break up the clog. This is likely to be a very messy procedure.

6. When the garden hose runs clear you are finished.

7. Close the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and remove the garden hose.

8. Close the pressure relief valve at the top of the tank and turn the cold inlet valve back on.

9. Open a hot faucet in your house, and let it run until no air comes out.

10. Turn the heater back on.

If you still can't get the water heater to function properly, hire a professional today.