Draining a water heater is a fairly simple maintenance step for conventional tank water heating units. The plumbing pros of Estes Services explain this easy process below – but first, make sure it’s actually a wise idea to drain yours! For help with your water heater maintenance needs, schedule service with the Estes team today.
When You SHOULD NOT Drain a Water Heater
Draining a water heater isn’t ideal maintenance for all conventional storage water tanks, so don’t start the process before reading this section!
While draining a water heater seems like a good idea for tank water heaters, it can cause issues in certain situations. Do not attempt to drain your water heater if you have never done so before. If your water heater has never been flushed, the sediment trapped within may actually have filled tiny cracks that have developed in the tank. If you flush it out, your water heater will leak, and you will need to replace it right away.
Also, if you are simply uneasy about performing this task, don’t do it. Call our plumbers to have your water heater maintenance conducted by a professional.
When Water Heater Flushing Is OK
With a regularly flushed water heater, you want to drain the unit once every six months. If your home has hard water or higher mineral content, you may need to flush the unit more frequently.
Process for Draining a Water Heater
When draining a water heater, follow these easy steps:
- Disconnect electricity or gas that fuels the unit.
- Close the cold water supply valve on your water heater.
- Connect a garden hose to the drain valve on the lower portion of your unit.
- Take the unattached end of the garden hose and feed it into a bathtub or outdoors to ensure water drains without causing damage to your home.
- Open the water heater’s drain valve.
- Open the water heater’s pressure relief valve – you’ll find this component at the top of the water heater tank.
- Allow time for the water heater to completely drain all stored hot water.
- Once the hot water reserve has drained, reopen the cold water supply valve, allowing it to run for several minutes to flush out sediment that may remain in the water heater tank.
- Close the water heater’s drain valve and pressure relief valve.
- Detach the garden hose from the drain valve, and carefully coil it while allowing the hose to drain out to your bathtub or exteriors.
- Reconnect electricity or reopen the gas valve.
Water Heater Maintenance from Estes Services
Water heater maintenance is essential to the health of this vital household equipment, and draining a water heater is just part of it! Get the professional maintenance service your water heater needs to maintain performance and efficiency when you schedule an appointment with the plumbers of Estes Services.
