How to Drain Your Water Heater, and Why?

If the time comes that a water heater in an Atlanta home needs to be moved, it may become necessary to drain the water heater in order to move it safely. However, before doing this a person should make sure he understands the proper way to drain the heater. Otherwise, the water heater may be […] The post How to Drain Your Water Heater, and Why? appeared first on Plumb Works Inc.

If the time comes that a water heater in an Atlanta home needs to be moved, it may become necessary to drain the water heater in order to move it safely. However, before doing this a person should make sure he understands the proper way to drain the heater.

Otherwise, the water heater may be damaged in the process, and the person himself could be injured due to hot water unexpectedly spilling from the water heater. To make sure this does not happen, here are some additional reasons why the water heater may need to be drained, as well as the safest ways to do this procedure

Unfortunately, there are times when a water heater tank becomes filled with lime deposits or foul-smelling bacteria. When this happens, the only way to correct the problem is to drain the tank. Otherwise, the problem will only get worse before it gets better. In many cases, these problems occur if the home’s water supply becomes tainted from outside sources, which can sometimes leave a homeowner unable to use their water unless it has first been boiled

If a water heater does need to be drained, it’s imperative that its power and water lines be turned off prior to beginning any work. To turn off the power, the breaker in the electrical box should be turned off. If the heater is gas powered, the control knob on the front of the tank should be turned off, followed by the gas supply valve.

Once the power and water have been turned off, a garden hose should be connected to the drain valve at the tank’s bottom. The hose is then put into a bucket, stretched outside, or positioned near a drain or sink.

To create a passage for air to enter the tank, lift the temperature and pressure relief valve. Once this is done, water should begin flowing freely and quickly from the tank.

To make sure any sediment in the tank gets flushed out, the drain valve should be left open and the cold water valve turned on. After a minute or two, all debris should be out of the tank.

If you need quality water heater repair service in your Atlanta, GA home, please contact Plumb Works Inc. at 404-524-1825.