How-To: Drain Water Heater

If your home uses a traditional tank water heater then it is necessary to flush the water on a regular basis. Flush the water with sediment at the bottom of your tank every 1 to 2 years to maintain your heater. If you don’t eliminate the sediment build-up, overtime naturally occurring minerals in the water will settle at the bottom of the tank. Excess sediment can potentially reduce the function and capacity of the unit.

Clearing the Sediment from the Tank

Step 1

Turn off the water supply
Turn off the cold water supply at the top of the water heater

Step 2

Turn off the hot water heater

• Gas: Turn to “pilot” setting
• Electric: Turn off electricity off at the breaker box.

Allow the water to cool down in temperature for several hours before draining the tank.

Step 3

Attach a hose to drain valve
Near the bottom of the tank, there is a drain valve. Attach a garden hose to one end and have it run outside or into a floor drain where it can drain efficiently. If your water heater sits below ground level, buy a pump at a hardware store to connect hoses to pump all the water outside.

Step 4

Open the hot water tap
Turn on the hot water faucet closest to the water heater, this will allow for the water to drain.

Step 5

Open Drain Valve
Open up the drain valve to let the water drain from the tank. To stir up the sediment, turn on the cold water supply. Continue to drain the water until the water runs clear.

Step 6

Close drain, refill tank, turn water on
First close the drain valve, then refill the tank, finally turn the water supply back on. The tank will begin to fill. Lastly turn gas from “pilot” setting and turn the electricity back on.