Northern Virginia . water heater maintenance
Water heater flush for $99.
A water heater flush is $99 at SwiftPro right now, normally $199, anywhere in Northern Virginia. A local plumber drains the sediment out of your tank, then checks the plumbing in the rest of the house, with photos of anything we flag.
$300Tankless, like a
Navien? It gets descaled instead of flushed, with the same plumbing check. Regularly
$350.
Any brand: A. O. Smith, Rheem, Bradford White, State, Navien, Rinnai, Noritz and Takagi. What each maker says
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One per household, owner-occupied homes in Northern Virginia. The full terms are at the bottom of the page.
Pick yours
Tank or tankless. One visit either way.
Go and look at it. A tank stands on the floor. A tankless hangs on the wall and is about the size of a carry-on suitcase. Both visits come with the whole-home plumbing safety check.
Tank water heater
$99
$199 flush + $149 safety check.
A $348 value.
The Water Heater Flush
Plus the whole-home plumbing safety check.
- Tank drained and flushed, so the sediment comes off the bottom
- Anode rod checked, the part that corrodes so the tank does not
- Temperature and pressure relief valve tested
- Thermostat setting and venting checked
- A straight answer on where the tank is in its life
Tankless water heater
$300
$350 regular price. On promotion now.
Tankless Water Heater Descaling
Plus the same whole-home plumbing safety check. Navien, Rinnai or any other make.
- Descaling solution pumped through the heat exchanger at the service valves
- Rinsed out with fresh water afterward
- Cold water inlet filter pulled and cleaned
- Air intake filter cleaned where there is one, and the vent checked
- Fired back up and checked at a hot tap
Any brand, whoever put it in: A. O. Smith, Rheem, Bradford White, State, Navien, Rinnai, Noritz and Takagi. What each maker says about yours
More for the money: Comfort+ membership, $199 a year.
It includes the flush and its plumbing safety check every year, plus a dryer vent cleaning, a heating maintenance visit, a cooling maintenance visit and 15% off any service. See the membership
Every brand, whoever put it in
What the maker says about your water heater.
Flip to the maintenance page of any manual and it says the same thing: drain the sediment out of a tank, dissolve the scale out of a tankless. Here is what each brand we work on puts in writing.
Tank water heaters, $99 flush
A. O. Smith
Drain and flush at least once a year, more often if needed. Its manual warns that skipping it can damage the tank and the drain valve and cause leaks.
Source: A. O. Smith gas water heater use and care guide, 2025
Rheem
Once a year for most homes, every six months on hard water. Rheem says sediment acts like insulation on the bottom of the tank, so it runs longer, uses more energy and wears out faster.
Bradford White
Drain off a gallon every month to clear silt and sediment, and have a technician go over the heater at least once a year.
Source: Bradford White gas water heater installation and operation manual, 2026
State
Drain and flush, and pull the anode rod to look at it, at least once a year. Its manual says draining the sediment extends the life of the tank.
Tankless water heaters, $300 descale
Navien
A flush once a year wherever the water runs 4 grains per gallon or harder with no softener on the line, which is nearly all of Northern Virginia.
Source: Navien NPE-A2/S2 installation manual, water hardness table
Rinnai
Once a year in a home wherever the water runs 4 grains per gallon or harder, and its manual says skipping the flush will damage the heat exchanger. An LC code on the display means it is scaling up and must be flushed.
Source: Rinnai SENSEI RX installation and operation manual, 2025
Noritz
Once a year from 3 grains per gallon up with no softener. Its C1 code is a descaling reminder, and Noritz will not cover the damage if the reminder came up and nobody flushed it.
Rheem
Flush the heat exchanger once a year, the manual says, or risk higher running costs and early failure. An A01L code on the display means lime has built up inside.
Source: Rheem Performance Platinum IKONIC tankless use and care manual
Takagi
Its standard warranty does not cover damage from water harder than 7 grains per gallon in a single-family home (X3 models are the exception). Every utility on the chart below tops 7 at some point in the year except the City of Manassas.
Why a tankless is different
Tankless water heater descaling.
Tankless water heater descaling is $300 at SwiftPro right now, regularly $350, anywhere in Northern Virginia, and the visit includes the same whole-home plumbing safety check as the tank flush.
There is no tank to flush. A tankless heats water on the way through, inside a heat exchanger made of narrow passages. Our water is moderately hard to hard, and heat pulls the calcium and magnesium out of it as scale that sticks to exactly those passages. There is no tank bottom for it to settle into, so draining the unit does nothing. It has to be dissolved.
That is descaling. We close the service valves, hook a pump and hoses to them, and run a descaling solution through the heat exchanger until the scale lets go. Then we rinse it with fresh water and clean the screen on the cold water inlet.
Navien’s manual calls for it once a year wherever the water is 4 grains per gallon or harder, which is most of Northern Virginia, and damage from mineral build-up is not covered by its warranty.
Signs yours is scaling up
- Hot water that never gets as hot as it used to, or goes cold and stays cold
- Less flow at the hot taps than there used to be
- A code on the screen: E016 or E030 on a Navien, LC on a Rinnai
4 grains and up: once a year
Navien’s manual calls for a flush once a year in a home wherever the water runs 4 to 12 grains per gallon and there is no softener or scale filter on the line.
The biggest single reason
“Scale build-up from hard water is the biggest single reason for unit failures.”
Not covered
Navien’s warranty is void for damage from “hard water deposits, lime or mineral build-up”, and for failure to perform regular maintenance.
Why a tank gets flushed
Sediment is what wears a tank out.
The minerals in our water settle to the bottom of a tank and harden into a crust. From then on the burner heats through that crust to reach the water above it, which costs efficiency and shortens the life of the tank.
A flush buys time on a tank that is not already due, and we will tell you straight where yours is in its life.
Signs a tank is due
- Popping or rumbling while it heats. That is water boiling under a layer of sediment.
- Grit in the faucet screens on the hot side.
- A drain valve nobody has opened since the house was sold.
How often
Once a year, on most of our water.
Hardness decides it. Hard water leaves minerals behind as it heats: sediment in the bottom of a tank, scale inside a tankless. Navien’s manual draws the line at 4 grains per gallon. From there up, with no softener on the line, it calls for a flush every year. Here is what each utility in Northern Virginia published.
Most of Fairfax County, plus the City of Fairfax and Falls Church. Flush pages: Fairfax, Falls Church, Springfield, Burke, Annandale, McLean, Reston, Centreville, Chantilly, Oakton, Lorton, Fairfax Station, Great Falls.
Town of Herndon (Fairfax Water’s water)
Herndon, inside the town. Flush pages: Herndon.
Ashburn, Sterling and South Riding. Prints no hardness figure. Its water comes from Fairfax Water’s Potomac plant, which ran 4.1 to 10.8 in 2025. Source. Flush pages: Ashburn, Sterling.
Woodbridge, Gainesville and Bristow, and most of Manassas outside the City. Flush pages: Woodbridge, Gainesville, Bristow.
Town of Vienna (Fairfax Water and Washington Aqueduct water)
Vienna, inside the town. Flush pages: Vienna.
Water heater flush by town
A tank
Once a year, whichever water you are on. If it already pops or rumbles when it heats, do not wait for the date to come around.
A tankless
Once a year above the line, which is nearly everywhere we work. The City of Manassas is the exception: at 2.7 grains, Navien’s table does not call for it.
On a well
There is no utility number to go by, and wells vary house to house. A water test gives you the hardness, and the hardness sets the interval.
Grains per gallon from each utility’s own report. Where a utility prints milligrams per liter, we divided by 17.1.
Both visits include it
The whole‑home plumbing safety check.
A walk through the rest of the house looking for the quiet failures, the ones that cost nothing today and a lot on a Saturday night.
- Supply linesWashing machine hoses and fixture supplies, the cheap parts that flood basements
- Shutoff valvesThe main and the fixture shutoffs, and whether they actually turn
- Water pressureA reading at the tap. High pressure strains every fixture in the house.
- Drains and leaksVisible corrosion, how the drains run, and anything running when it should not be
- Toilets and trapsRunning toilets, loose traps and slow drips under the sinks
You get photos of anything we flag.
And what we will not do.
- No high-pressure close at the kitchen table. You get the photos whether or not you buy anything.
- No required upsell. The price is the whole price of the visit, not a deposit on something bigger.
- No inventing work. If your plumbing is in good shape we will tell you that and get out of your day.
- If something does need attention, you get real numbers and time to weigh your options.
What neighbors say
5.0 from 884 Google reviews.
BBB Accredited . 2025 and 2026 Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave
These are the people who will be in your house. Our own plumbers, our own trucks, Northern Virginia only.
“I interviewed five HVAC companies and this is the best. Down to earth, they don’t hold you captive for hours trying to sell you something.”
“Elvis and the entire SwiftPro team were professional, honest and prompt. They were on time and courteous. I offer the strongest recommendation.”
“I hired SwiftPro to inspect my system for a second opinion, and I highly recommend them based on my interaction with all the staff.”
Choosing who does it
How to pick who flushes your water heater.
Five questions worth asking anybody you call, us included.
Do they check the anode rod?
It is the part that corrodes so the tank does not. A flush that skips it misses the one thing that decides how long the tank lasts.
Do they test the relief valve?
The temperature and pressure relief valve is the tank’s safety valve. It should get opened at the flush, and if it will not close clean again, you want to know while someone is standing there.
On a tankless, do they descale with a pump?
A real descale isolates the heater at its service valves and pumps solution through the heat exchanger, then rinses it and cleans the inlet screen. Running vinegar through a faucet is not it.
Is the price the whole price?
Ask what it covers, and whether the trip or the inspection costs extra. Ours is the whole price of the visit, not a deposit on something bigger.
Will they work on a heater they did not install?
You should not have to track down whoever put it in. We flush and descale every brand below.
Meet the owner
Why SwiftPro.
Tyler, our owner, on why we do it this way.
Why SwiftPro in Northern Virginia
Before you book
What is in the price, and what is not.
In the price
- $99: one tank water heater drained, flushed and checked, the whole-home plumbing safety check, and photos of anything we flag.
- $300: one tankless water heater descaled and checked, the same plumbing safety check, and the same photos.
Costs extra
- A repair or a part the visit turns up: a worn anode rod, a leaking valve, a failed hose. Priced first, and never required.
- A second water heater: priced before we start, and you can say no to it.
- Service valves on a tankless that has none: descaling runs through them. We price adding a set before we start.
One per household. Owner-occupied homes in Northern Virginia. Not combinable with other offers. Limited time. Normal price is $199 for the flush, $149 for the safety check and $350 for the tankless descale.
SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing . Family-owned, Chantilly, VA . Virginia Class A 2705192276 . BBB Accredited . Licensed and insured . Serving Northern Virginia
Book it
Pick a day. We call to confirm.
Choose a window and a SwiftPro plumber calls you from a 703 or 571 number during normal business hours to confirm it. You pay after the visit, and we take credit cards.
Would you rather just talk to a person?
Call (703) 997-9757Which water heater do you have?
Not sure? Pick either one. We check on the call before anyone comes out.
Pick a day that works
Then choose a window. We confirm by phone before we come out.
Where should we come?
Your name, a mobile number and the address. Start typing the street and pick it from the list.
By booking you agree we may call or text you about this appointment. You pay after the visit.
You are on the schedule.
Call (703) 997-9757Straight answers
Questions people actually ask.
How much does a water heater flush cost in Northern Virginia?
$99 at SwiftPro right now for a tank water heater, normally $199 for the flush on its own, and the visit includes the whole-home plumbing safety check. A tankless descale is $300 right now, regularly $350. You pay after the visit.
How much does tankless water heater descaling cost?
$300 right now, regularly $350, for one tankless water heater anywhere in Northern Virginia, any brand. The same visit includes the whole-home plumbing safety check, and you pay after the visit.
How often should a tank water heater be flushed?
Once a year. Most of the water around here runs moderately hard to hard, and sediment piles up faster in hard water. If yours already pops or rumbles when it heats, that is the sediment, and it is worth doing now.
How often should a tankless be descaled?
Once a year in most of Northern Virginia. Navien’s manual calls for a yearly flush wherever the water runs 4 grains per gallon or harder with no softener, and nearly every utility here runs harder than that. The City of Manassas, at 2.7, is the exception.
Tank or tankless, how do I tell?
A tank stands on the floor and holds 40 to 80 gallons. A tankless hangs on the wall, about the size of a carry-on suitcase, usually with a small screen on the front. Navien and Rinnai are the names you will see most around here. Not sure? Pick either one and we will check on the call before anyone comes out.
Why is the tankless $300 and the tank $99?
They are different jobs. The flush drains a tank. A descale means isolating the unit at its service valves, pumping descaling solution through the heat exchanger, rinsing it and cleaning the inlet screen, which takes a pump, hoses and the solution. Both are on promotion right now: the flush is normally $199 and the descale $350.
Which brands do you flush and descale?
All of them, whoever installed it. Tank water heaters from A. O. Smith, Rheem, Bradford White and State, and tankless from Navien, Rinnai, Noritz, Rheem and Takagi. Each maker’s own maintenance advice is in the brands section above, with a link to where it says so.
Does skipping the flush void my water heater warranty?
It can leave you without coverage for the damage it causes. A. O. Smith’s and State’s warranties do not cover parts that fail from sediment build-up, and Bradford White’s excludes sediment or lime in the tank. On the tankless side, Navien, Rinnai and Rheem exclude damage from lime and scale, and Noritz will not cover a unit whose descaling reminder came up and was never flushed. The flush is the cheap part.
My tankless is showing a code. Is it scale?
Some codes say so outright. LC on a Rinnai means scale is building up and it needs a flush. On a Rheem tankless, 1L (A01L on IKONIC models) means lime has built up in the heat exchanger. A Noritz shows C1 when its descaling reminder comes due. On a Navien, the overheating codes E016 and E030 both list flushing the heat exchanger among the fixes. An ignition or fan code is something else, and a descale will not change it.
Can I flush a tank myself?
You can. Turn the gas to pilot or switch off the breaker, close the cold supply, run a hose from the drain valve to somewhere that can take hot water, and open a hot tap upstairs so it drains. The catch is the drain valve: on a lot of tanks it is plastic, and grit can stop it closing again. If that is the part making you nervous, that is the $99 visit.
Can I descale a tankless myself?
Yes, if the unit has service valves with ports. It takes a small pump, hoses, a bucket and white vinegar or a descaler made for tankless heaters, with the power off first, and Navien’s manual walks through it. If you would rather not, that is the $300 visit, and it comes with the plumbing check.
My tank is ten years old and has never been flushed. Should I start now?
Maybe not. After ten years the sediment can be packed hard, and opening the drain on a tank that age can start a drip that was not there. We look first and tell you straight whether a flush is worth it or whether that money is better put toward the next water heater.
Does a water softener change how often?
On a tankless, yes. With a softener or a scale filter on the line, Navien’s table stops calling for the yearly flush. A tank still collects some sediment either way, so it still gets flushed.
I am on a well. Is it different?
There is no utility report to go by, so a water test is the number that counts. Well water can run harder than the public water, or carry grit. We do not work on wells, but we will flush the heater and tell you what came out of it.
My tankless has no service valves. Can you still descale it?
Most installs have them. If yours does not, we will price adding a set before we start and you decide. They make every descale after that easier.
Is there a membership that includes the flush?
Yes. Comfort+ membership is $199 a year and includes the flush and its plumbing safety check every year, plus a dryer vent cleaning, a heating maintenance visit, a cooling maintenance visit and 15% off any service.
What if you find something wrong?
You get photos, a price, and time to think about it. Nothing gets fixed without you saying yes, and nothing on this visit is a deposit on anything else.