An often overlooked aspect of water heater maintenance is regular draining. As your water heater works to keep your home supplied with hot water, sediment builds up inside the tank and, if not taken care of, results in reduced efficiency, leading to higher energy bills and a diminished overall lifespan. Johnny Rooter has got you covered with this guide on how to drain a hot water heater quickly while keeping both you and your heater safe along the way.
What You Need
It should come as no surprise that to drain a hot water heater, you’re going to need some equipment. The good news is that it’s all so common, you probably already have the items lying around somewhere! To drain your hot water heater, you’ll need:
- A Garden Hose: Make sure it’s long enough to reach from your water heater to a drain or outside to avoid a mess.
- Flathead Screwdriver: Not always required, but may be needed for older drain valves.
- Work Gloves: Water heaters get hot, as you can probably guess, gloves protect your hands from the hot surfaces while you’re working.
- A Bucket: This is optional, but recommended. Like the hose, it helps to prevent unnecessary mess.
How To Drain Your Hot Water Heater
Step 1: Turn off your power or gas supply
If you have an electric hot water heater, turn it off at the breaker and be sure to inform anyone else in the house with you at the time to prevent them from accidentally turning it back on while you’re working. For gas-powered models, turn the thermostat to the ‘Pilot’ setting. This will prevent the heating element from turning on while the tank is empty, which can cause damage to your heater.
Step 2: Turn off the water supply
Find the cold water shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to prevent any more water from being added to the heater while you drain. This valve is typically located above the tank, but if in doubt, check the manufacturer’s website for guidance.
Step 3: Wait for the water to cool
This step is optional, but highly recommended to minimize any risk. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this, but it’s much safer if you’re able to wait a few hours after turning off your heater to let the water inside cool.
Step 4: Attach the hose to the drain valve
At the bottom of your water heater tank, you should find a spigot-like drain valve. Attach your hose tightly and run the other end into your bucket, outside, or a nearby drain. To help the water drain more quickly, try to make sure the hose runs downhill.
Step 5: Open the pressure relief valve
Opening this valve allows air into the tank, which helps to speed up the draining process. The valve is usually located on top or the side of the tank. Flip it open to release the pressure and prevent a vacuum from forming. If you’re really in a hurry, try opening a hot water faucet in your house as this can speed up the process further.
Step 6: Open the drain valve
Using your hands or, if needed, your screwdriver, open the valve and watch for the water to begin flowing!
Step 7: Flush out any built-up sediment
This is another optional step you can skip if you’re in a rush, but it’s effective if you have time. Once the tank is mostly empty, turn on the cold water supply for a few seconds while the drain valve is still open. This helps to stir up and flush out any sediment remaining at the bottom of the tank.
Step 8: Close everything up and refill the tank
Once the water coming from your hose is running clear, close the drain and pressure valves, disconnect your hose, turn the water supply back on, and leave a hot water faucet open until the water flow is steady.
How Often Should You Drain & When You Should Call a Professional
To keep everything running smoothly and efficiently, you should be draining your hot water heater at least once or twice a year. More often if you live in an area with hard water.
If your tank won’t drain, if your water is discolored, or if you notice leaks in your tank during the draining process, we strongly recommend calling Johnny Rooter at 512-451-3031 or book an inspection now.
Draining your hot water heater doesn’t have to be a long or difficult job, and with the right tools, you can keep your heater running smoothly for years to come.
