Check the water heater compartment, which is usually on the exterior passenger side of the RV, if you’re unable to find the switch inside. Your RV’s water heater may have gas and electric power controlled by separate switches on the panel, so be sure to turn them both off.
Usually, you can find the water pump behind a wall panel inside your RV. Otherwise, it may be located inside of an exterior compartment.
If you have a hard time locating the water heater compartment, look at your RV’s manual to find it. Avoid opening the valve if you still have hot water since it will be scalding hot and could seriously burn you.
Don’t unscrew the plug or anode rod if you still have hot water since you could get scalded.
You can buy a tank cleaning wand online or from an outdoor specialty store.
If you don’t see any residue coming out of the tank when you first start spraying, then you may not have any buildup inside your tank.
Anode rods filter out the sediment in your water to help keep your hot water clean. You can buy them online or from specialty RV stores.
Teflon tape helps prevent leaks in the water heater, and you can find it in the plumbing section of your local hardware store. Avoid wrapping the Teflon tape counterclockwise since it could come loose when you screw the plug or anode rod back into the port.
Avoid over-tightening the plug or rod since you could damage it and make it more difficult to remove later on.
If you don’t know the size of your hot water tank, check the RV’s manual. Otherwise, you may be able to look up the make and model of your RV online to find the information. Typically, RV water heaters are between 5–10 gallons (19–38 L). You don’t need to soak the tank with a vinegar solution if you didn’t notice residue coming out from the tank when you flushed out the system.
Ask a helper to hold the funnel in place or help lift the gas can so you’re less likely to spill.
If you don’t have the spout pointing down, the valve may not drain properly if pressure builds up inside the water heater. Be careful not to overtighten the valve since you could damage it.
Avoid turning on the water supply or pump, or else the vinegar solution may travel through the rest of your pipes and not clean the tank as effectively. If your water heater also has a switch for gas power on the electrical panel, turn it on as well.
If residue gets caught in the port while it’s draining, try poking it with a stir stick or pulling it out by hand.
You do not have to reapply the Teflon tape on the plug or anode rod.
If the switches aren’t inside your RV, they may be in the water heater compartment outside.
It’s normal for the faucet to sputter when you first turn it on.
