Can You Drain a Hot Water Heater by Running Hot Water

How to Drain a Water Heater

Water heaters are one of the near used appliances in our homes. They assistance united states of america when nosotros take a shower or a bathroom, when we do our laundry, when we make clean our dishes and especially when we wash our easily. As with whatsoever other appliance, over time and with utilize, water heaters start to face sure issues. Minerals that naturally occur in the water (hard water), along with sand and dust, settle in the lesser of the tank. Sediment buildup tin reduce your water heater's efficiency also equally erode the metal water heater itself. Buildup can too clog the tank drain, causing potential maintenance issues down the road that can ultimately pb your water heater to neglect.

Because nosotros rely on our h2o heaters and then much, at that place are steps we can take to assure that they aren't neglected on our list of home improvement to-dos. Learning how to drain a h2o heater is a adequately unproblematic, DIY process that any homeowner can accomplish (if y'all come across anything that is not included in this article, do NOT move forwards. Seek the help of a licensed plumber). By draining your water heater one time a twelvemonth , you lot volition ensure that it is working as efficiently equally possible , you will increase its lifespan , and your water volition be cleaner , all saving you money in the long run.

Please keep in listen that this service should NOT exist performed on any water heater that hasn't been flushed within the past three years. If your unit of measurement has been flushed in the past iii years, y'all're ready to go along and learn how to drain a water heater.

1. Plow off the recirculation pump (if you have i): If you have an optional recirculation pump, unplug it from its power source. If not, motion onto the next step.
2. Turn off the heat source: If you take a gas water heater, turn the burner command knob to the "pilot" setting. If you have an electrical water heater, simply shut off the power by unplugging the arrangement or turning it off in your electrical console/circuit breaker.
3. Shut off the water supply: Most water heaters take a valve on the cold h2o line that is connected to the top of the water heater tank. If this is the case with your organisation, turn off the common cold h2o supply valve hither. If you lot don't accept this selection, locate your home's chief water line and shut down the cold water from at that place.
4. Connect your hose to the bleed valve: screw your hose (a garden hose volition suffice) onto the water heater bleed valve at the bottom of the tank, and lead your hose to the selected drainage area. You can drain the muddied water into your driveway, a floor bleed, or anywhere that leads to the sewer or the street.
   If you don't have whatsoever of these options, a bucket will piece of work also. By using a bucket, you lot can as well monitor the extent of the corrosion that has taken place inside of your tank by the colour of the draining water and the amount of sediment that flows out.
5. Open the bleed valve: now that the hose is continued to the water heater, you can open the drain valve to release the tank's water. You may be able to practise this past manus, but sometimes a screwdriver is needed to assist in the process. The water volition be hot, and so use caution.
6. Allow air into the tank: at this point, water will exist draining from your hot water tank very slowly, if at all, due to the vacuum that exists within of the tank. In that location are a couple of ways to allow air in to break up the vacuum and go the h2o flowing:
   
   1. If your unit of measurement has a pressure relief valve that is connected to the tank, you tin pop the valve to introduce needed air.
   2. If your pressure relief valve does not vent, you can also allow air into the system past loosening the piping that connects to i of the water lines at the pinnacle of the water heater.
   3. Finally, a simple option to alleviate pressure from the system is to turn on the hot h2o tap on the faucet that is closest to your water heater.
7. Let the tank to fully drain: Again, make sure to be cautious of the exiting hot water. Let all of the water completely bleed from the tank. This can take anywhere from nearly 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the tank.
8. Flush the tank: If you lot loosened any pipage at the top of the water heater to let air into the system, make certain y'all tighten it back upwards. And then, turn the water dorsum on past re-opening the water heater valve that we shut off in step iv. You lot can fifty-fifty smack the outside of the tank with your hand (be conscientious!) to try and break up any remaining sediment.
   Monitor the color of the water coming out of your hose, and allow the water to run for equally long equally it takes for information technology to come up out make clean and clear. A good rule of pollex is to let the h2o run for almost v-vii minutes regardless to be absolutely certain that your water heater tank is as clean as possible.
9. Close the drain valve and disconnect the hose: Re-close the bleed valve using your hands or a screwdriver. Brand sure that the valve, along with everything you disconnect and reconnect during this process, is fully tightened to avoid problematic leaks. Once the drain valve is securely airtight, you tin can so disconnect the hose.
10. Turn on your hot water heater taps: Next, you'll need to head inside and plow on every hot water tap on the faucets in your home to release any air that entered the water lines while draining the tank. Leave the hot water on for nearly 4-5 minutes or until all of the air is released from the water lines. Y'all will be able to tell when this is accomplished as soon equally the water starts running with normal pressure level and without whatsoever spurting or pausing.
11. Plough the recirculation pump back on: If you have a recirculation pump that y'all unplugged at the start of the procedure, at present is the time to plug it dorsum in.
12. Plow the oestrus source back on: Finally, you can plow the burner for your gas h2o heater back on, or y'all tin can plug your electrical system back in or plough it on via the electric panel/circuit breaker.

And that'due south it, y'all're done! Y'all can at present go along to enjoy clean water with the condolement of knowing that your water heater is running at its best. For a step-by-pace, visual guide on how to drain your water heater, check out this video that we honey from CRC Plumbing:

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Source: https://www.lenoxplumbing.com/how-to-drain-a-water-heater/

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