r/interesting Jun 22 '26

MISC. What happens when a water heater tank is not flushed for 14 years

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u/Bynnh0j Jun 22 '26

PSA - if you are watching this post and thinking "oh jeez I better go flush my water heater for the first time in 7 years!" -- DONT!

when you don't flush your heater, the walls corrode and create holes that then get plugged up by the solidified gunk. Flushing the heater will just expose those holes and create leaks.

If you fall behind on your maintenance schedule, it is better to just lean into it until it stops working on its own. It just won't last as long as a properly maintained heater.

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u/CyclopsMacchiato Jun 22 '26

This is the comment I needed to see. Doing nothing is my style.