How to Drain a Hot Water Heater
You probably don’t think about the water heater in your Jackson, MO, home very frequently. However, you’ll quickly notice if it stops working. To reduce the risk of a malfunction or total breakdown of your hot water heater, it’s important to schedule regular professional maintenance of the unit. Between maintenance visits, you should drain the water heater’s tank about once per year. Use these tips to safely perform this maintenance task.
Turn Off the Power and Water
Before you drain the water heater’s tank, you need to allow the water to cool to room temperature. To do this, you’ll need to turn off the power to the water heater. Find the breaker for the water heater on your circuit breaker box. Turn it off. For a gas water heater, you’ll also need to turn off the pilot. Close the cold water supply valve. Allow the water to cool in the tank overnight.
Connect a Hose and Drain the Water
In the morning, connect an ordinary garden hose to the drain valve on the water heater’s storage tank. If the valve has a cover, you’ll need to remove it before you can attach the hose. Position the other end of the hose to drain water into your sewer main or onto your yard or driveway. Open the drain valve. The tank will take a couple of minutes to empty.
Rinse the Sediment
Turn on the cold water tap. This will rinse any leftover sediment from the bottom of the tank. Once the water runs clear from the garden hose, close the drain valve. Remove the hose. Restore power, and turn on the pilot if you have a gas water heater.
Obermanns is the trusted company for water heater maintenance in Jackson. Homeowners also count on us for heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair, and replacement services. Our indoor air quality solutions keep you comfortable and healthy year-round. For more tips on how to safely drain a hot water heater, get in touch with us at Obermanns today.
