Water heater flush
Flush sediment from the tank to extend its life and efficiency
Sample pricing — illustrative only, not an offer.
A pro drains your water heater tank to flush out the sediment that settles at the bottom over time, helping it run more efficiently and last longer. Book it yearly, especially in Houston's hard water, or when the tank pops and rumbles.
What's included
- Shutting off the heat and water supply and draining the tank
- Flushing out the sediment (sand, mineral scale) until the water runs clear
- Refilling and restarting the heater
- Often a quick check of the temperature/pressure relief valve
- Not included: replacing the anode rod, the drain valve, or the heater itself
What to expect
Typical time on site: about 30–60 min
- The pro turns off the heat and cold-water supply (a flush usually takes 30–60 minutes)
- They connect a hose to the drain valve and empty the tank
- They flush it until the water runs clear
- They refill, restart, and confirm it's heating — hot water returns within about an hour
- If they find a failing valve or a tank leak, that's a photographed change order you approve in the app first
Good to know
- This is preventive maintenance, not an emergency — but skipping it for years lets sediment shorten the tank's life and raise your gas or electric bill
- Book it if it's been about a year (or more), if you hear popping or rumbling, or if hot water runs out faster than it used to
- Tankless units need descaling instead — book the tankless visit for those
- Handy homeowners can flush a tank themselves, but an old, stuck drain valve (common) is where it goes wrong. If your tank is 10+ years old and never flushed, ask whether it's still safe
Price range explained
You're toward the low end for an easy, accessible heater, and toward the high end when heavy sediment needs extra flushing, a stuck drain valve must be worked, or access is tight. The pre-visit price is a range confirmed on arrival, and a failing valve or tank leak found during the flush is a separate change order you approve in the app first.
Match a lower written quote
Got a lower WRITTEN quote from another licensed plumber for the same job? Upload a photo of it and we'll match the price.
Your plumber absorbs this — they keep 100% of the matched rate (Plumbr's fee is unchanged) and can dispute it after the job.
Match a competitor's quotePreview only — this does not book a real visit, and nobody is dispatched.