How To Drain Your Water Heater, And Why?

How To Know If Your Water Heater Needs To Be Drained

If you’ve started noticing that when you collect hot water from the tap that you’re getting particles in the water, then this may be because of what’s inside your Greenwood, IN water heater. If you can’t think of the last time you had your water heater drained or you’ve never had it drained, then it’s time to get it drained.

Water heaters are supposed to be drained on a regular basis, which is once a year. Seeing brownish colored water, particles in your water, or having other issues with your water heater may mean that it needs to be drained to fix the problem.

Cut The Power

Before a water heater is ever drained, power must be cut from the heater. A water heater may be gas or electric, so the electricity should be turned off, and the gas should be turned all the way down. Once the power is cut from the water heater, then it’s possible to go on to the other steps to drain the theater. Also, make sure to turn off the cold water valve on the water heater after turning off the power.

Attach A Hose

Using a hose is a good way to drain water out of the heater, especially since the hose can drain the water into a sewer system, onto the property, or into buckets for other uses. The hose is supposed to go on the drain valve, which can be found at the base of the water heater. After the hose is attached, then turn on one of the hot water faucets before the draining process can begin.

Drain The Water

Open the drain valve, and then the water will drain through the hose. After the water completely drains out, do a partial refill of the water heater with cold water, then drain it for a second time. When clean water is seen draining out of the water heater, then the water heater can have the drain valve closed and be refilled.

Refill Heater

The water heater can be refilled up to the 40-50 gallons that it contains, and the water will take a couple hours or so to get hot again. It’s always best to allow a Greenwood plumber to drain and refill your water heater.

Get quality water heater maintenance from Johnson Heating & Cooling Inc in Greenwood, IN at  (317) 881-7738.