How to drain a water heater
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2013
- Learn more about your plumbing at: www.crcplumbingthousandoaks.com/
For more info contact
CRC Plumbing at (805) 432-3373 or at charles@crcplumbingthousandoaks.com
Step 1: Disconnect recirculation pump (if you have one).
Step 2: Turn gas to "pilot" setting. (Or, if you have an electric water heater, unplug it).
Step 3: Turn off water supply.
Step 4: Connect hose.
Step 5: Put hose outside and in bucket. (The bucket will overflow.)
Step 6: Open valve on the bottom of tank to release water.
Step 7: Let air into the tank by opening the pressure release valve or one of the inlets on the top of the tank.
Step 8: Let the tank drain. (CAUTION: The water coming out of the hose will be hot!)
Step 9: Close the pressure release valve (if that's what you used to let air into your tank), or close the inlet on the top of the tank.
Step 10: Flush the tank by turning on the water valve and letting it run for about five minutes.
Step 11: Close the valve at the bottom of the tank so water can no longer run out.
Step 12: Disconnect your hose.
Step 13: Open hot water faucets in the house (including tub and shower) to let the air escape from the system.
Step 14: Reconnect the recirculation pump (if you have one).
Step 15: Turn the gas from "pilot" to "on." (Or, if you have an electric water heater, plug it in.) 
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![My Water Heater Won't Drain [Fix It With 3 Easy Steps]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CU6uWIN-Ans/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you so much for this video! Following step by step I had absolutely no issues and all of my questions were answered. Best source for how to do this!
Always drain our tank right after the 4th🎉! Been watching this video every year as a refresher, great video and sound advice! 👍
As an electrician I appreciate the attention to detail. Thanks for the how to
Awesome video, I followed your instructions to the letter and it worked perfectly! Thank you CRC Plumbing!
Not the video I want to be watching at 1am, but when my water heater spilled its guts, I'm glad it was here! Thank you!
Boy, wish I had known all this before! Just today I had my water heater replaced. It was only 8 years old. The plumber told me it had been leaking for quite some time. In a mobile home it was draining down below the home, so I had no idea. We have hard hard water and there was corrosion which caused it to be replaced. Thank you so much.
Best how too on draining water heaters! If I lived in ThousandOaks this guy would be my plumber.
Thank you for sharing and reminding to clean our tank :)
Thank you so much for the video, this was exactly what I needed to drain my ancient Kenmore 8 water heater. it's 22 years old and still ticking! Got that sediment somewhat flushed out and humming again. Suggestion for step 7a: Open a hot water faucet near your hot water tank to help alleviate pressure in the line when draining.
Thank you for the clear and concise explanation!
Thank you very much I am a new home owner figuring things out on my own I appreciate it so much.
Nice Vid, very through and easy to follow, just did mines, installed a split T on the cold line to flow water to an ice maker, decided to flush it out after the installation was complete. 😊👍
Excellent directions to keep the heater going for years.
Thanks for the clear instructions and the additional tips that the manufacturers handbook did not mention.
Thank you so much for posting this video..I was stuck. Found out from a wet floor in the kitchen that I had a leak coming from the water heater closet.....I'd gotten as far as turning off the cold water to the water heater, shutting off the gas to it, hooking up a hose to the drain, opening the drain valve and took a websites advice to open a hot water faucet in the house...but it wasn't draining ...then I followed another tip= to turn the water back onto the water heater to push that water through the hose to get it started..still nothing...Finding and then following your video I flipped the pressure valve lever that I was too scared to before (not knowing what would happen if I did that), then unscrewing the cold water pipe...Wa-La...the unit started to drain.... Thanks again from a single middle aged lady who was trying her best to prevent any further water from coming into the house! You saved me! :)
Thanks!! I never knew that the water heater should be drained yearly. Now I know. Excellent video.
Thanks! One of the better, clearer videos on flushing a water heater.
Nice video! I watch it annually before I do this. Also, I just open the hot water tap in the basement utility sink, which is 25 feet from the water heater, and that lets air in to the system.
Excellent video! Covers many of the smaller details that others don't explain.
+MrMPRandGumbo Glad it worked for you,I do my best to keep the details complete.
Thanks for watching.
+MrMPRandGumbo Glad you enjoyed it.
+MrMPRandGumbo Glad you liked it,thank you.
Good video. When I drain mine, I like to write the date I drained it on the tank with a Sharpie Marker. That way it helps me to remember when to drain it each year.
Charles of CRC, thank you so much, I have never drained a water heater, and with your excellent instructions, it worked on the first try, very nice!
had resin from water softener coming out of faucets, had to drain everything including hot water heater, only a little resin showed up while draining. Thank you for your straight forward video on how to do it.
Thank u very helpful!! I’m a first time home buyer and this was a great explanation
Very helpful - excellent info. First time draining after 5y in this house. Now must replace anode.
Thanks,
One of the better "how to" videos...I'm glad I watched especially for the tips on getting air into the system as well as getting air out of the system...
@steve b easy Steve now go take your meds
Thanks for checking us out.
WOW! You guys done extremely wonderful job on the video. Thanks came in hand!
+freddie wagner Glad you enjoyed it.Thanks for watching.
Great video. Was able to follow instructions, even when my water heater has an electric ignition (no pilot).
Super thorough explanation. Great video, thanks.
I use this video every year. Thanks for posting. Our old water heater cracked 5 years ago because I did not know you were suppose to do this.
Your welcome.Draining helps prolong life
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. This is the second time I've drained my water heater and I used your method last year.
Very informative video Charles. Many homeowners do not maintain their appliances, and simply replace them due to early failure which could have been avoided. People should also be aware of the other maintenance needed on water heaters. Check your water pressure! If you don't have an expansion tank(which should be checked also) test the T&P valve annually(especially if you dont have a water softener or water conditioner). Also, check and or replace your "sacrificial" anode rod. There are many videos on RUclips on how do both of these tasks.
Yes maintenance is the key.
Nice information, very well explained, tips like the tapping of the pressure relief valve were appreciated. Thank You much!!!
Excellent video and it takes all of the guesswork on how to do this. Thanks!!
+Bill Fox Thank you
Thanks a TON! I was not sure on how to do this....your video was easy to follow and super helpful. Thank you!
Your so welcome.Happy that you had a good experience.
Short video. To the point. Well thought out. Every home owner should view.
I wish Charles was working in my town. Thanks for the great video.
Thanks
Thanks for this! I looked it up to drain an old hot water heater I need to relocate to a dump and I, now, will be flushing my new one every year.
Nice straight forward video.
Was having a hell of a time getting the tank to drain. Watched several useless videos and read numerous how to guides but could not get a sustained water flow. Tried getting it going by turning on the cold water (as the heater guy had suggested when he installed) and opening a hot water tap but the flow would stop immediately upon shutoff. Your tip to loosen the cold water fitting to get air in did the trick. Tank is finally draining. Thanks!
I was in the same situation a couple of years ago and just gave up until today.
I would say its that same theory of fluids staying locked in a straw,until you remove your finger their is no flow.I am truly glad to have gotten you draining.
Cool,I dig when this helps it get done.
Right on, I am happy to hear your success.
Thanks for checking it out.
Thank you for the coaching. Very informative.
Very well done. That was clear and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing your expertise, much appreciated.
Thanks for the instructions - very helpful.
Good video, easy and simple to understand.
Thanks.
Thanks - easy to follow and the tips to get air in and out of the lines was helpful!
Glad it was helpful,thanks for watching.
Excellent video. I followed these exact steps and it worked perfectly.
Nice.
Thanks for the help, worked like a champ. I would have had no idea about the release valve.
As long as there not frozen shut that will allow air movement.
This guy is true old school knowledgeable plumber, they do not make em like they used to.....keep up the good work
Michael thanks for the great comment and hope this helped you with your water heater.
Very easy to follow. The nut on the cold water intake on top of my unit is way too big for any wrenches I have. I didn't loosen it when draining the water out but it still worked fine. Our water was pretty clear even though it had been four years since we drained it. But like you said, it's still important to drain it regularly. Thanks for the video!
Those supply line nuts are usually loosened by a pipe wrench.As long as the water moves out of the unit removing scale your good.Thanks for watching.
In my experience plumbers are scumbags. But you sir are obviously not a scumbag as you are showing people how to do a service you could be charging for. I salute you
thanks for the demonstration. very helpful.
My waterheater floor was rotten so I had to drain my waterheater to remove it..But when I put my hose nothing came out.So I saw your video.thank you so much for your help you saved me a whole lot of trouble I'm glad.your video was the most helpful my name is louisif I could shake your hand I would thank you so so much
Thanks for your kind reply.
I would like that.
Hi Louis,here's my virtual hand I am excited to hear I have made your drain down trouble free.
Thanks for your awesome video! I'm a new home owner and trying to learn basic handy skills to do on my own! Followed every step. Great video!
Right on,good luck with the pad.
Thank you. Especially your last not bc I didn't see any noticeable sediment in our HWH but it had been almost 4yrs since it had been installed.
Thanks for the video. I was able to use an empty trash can and 5-gallon buckets to capture weeks worth of grey water for Dish Pre Washing and Toilet Flushing. If you live in a drought area this is an especially good idea.
+Jeffrey Meredith I totally agree with you on that,no water should be wasted.
Thanks for the very easy steps. First time home buyer here and I didn't even know this was required..
Your welcome.Many people are not aware of the importance of draining down the tank.
Thanks! I was able to follow right along!
Great. Better than most videos on youtube on how to do this.
+PeteCorp Thank you got a friend with skills.
Good with that,thanks
I appreciate your kind words and am glad you enjoyed it,I have more ti come.
Thanks! I'm going to give this a try, you make it look doable. :)
Thank you! Needed this very thing this morning and this helped a lot!
+Chris Kemp Nice,Thanks for watching
Really terrific video. My brother lives in Simi so I'll let him know to call you guys when he needs a plumber.
Appreciated,thank you Tom
Very informative and really helpful. Thank you.
Great video, easy to follow. Will drain my tank this weekend.
Alan Greer Enjoy hearing the feedback,thanks for watching.
@@CRCPlumbing I saw a video where this plumber said that draining an old tank for the first time that has never been flushed previously could actually cause a tank failure. Reason being he said the sentiment/rust build-up becomes part of the tank. So if the tank is drained its like pulling a scab off. You agree with this?
thanks. used some of the steps to install a Corro-Protec. Beautiful neighborhood by the way, used to be in socal.
Awesome. Have done this before and forgot the proper steps. Thanks for the great step by step video!
It's quite clear direction for drain a water heater tank. Thanks
Great I am glad it got the job done.Thanks for checking it out.
Very nice and easy to understand video, muchas gracias!
Clear and concise. Thank you!
Man you were just what my tank needed.
Thanks!
Thanks,many tanks could use a drain down
Glad you got your tank in order.Remember to repeat as needed.
Nice and thorough, thanks man!
Thanks a ton Charles! Great video and a great person
Very helpful thanks for the info.
Of all the videos I watched this was the most helpful. Thank you
Cool,I am glad that the Video was helpful to getting your tank drained.
Thanks so much! Couldn't find a recirculation pump though.
Not every installation has a recirc pump. You can ignore that part of the video if you don't have one.
And thank you very much for showing me about draining the air out of the faucets so the pump isn't over working I'm going to set a reminder on my phone for once a year to do it.
Your vary welcome,thanks for checking it out.
Gotta do this today. Great video, didn't realize it was this easy. Thnx for sharing the info
Thanks for watching.
Nice fedora
Great helpful video. Thank you
Simple and detailed explanation. Thanks for sharing. Salud 🍻🍻🍻
Great video, very helpful.
Thank you! I just bought a house and noticed the hot water heater making knocking noises whenever it had to heat up a large amount of water (such as after running a large load of laundry using hot water). A plumber suggested that draining and cleaning the tank may help, and these instructions were extremely helpful. Unfortunately, once I turned the gas back up to heat the water filling the tank, I noticed the knocking noises were still there. Oh well. I saved the water I drained so I can use it to water plants once it cools down, too.
I would drain the tank
Yes, that's what I did. I followed this video and drained the tank.
Thank you so much for your valuable time and information, great video.
e2perez4 I appreciate your kind comment and enjoy hearing when this has been helpful.
this was so helpful, thank you
Awesome information! Thank you for making this good video.
+Rey Puente Happy to share
Classic video! Helped me out. Thank you!🕺👍
You Welcome,glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for the detailed video, CRC...we're definitely getting some major knocking & I'm about halfway done with your steps...our water coming out is filthy. Thanks a bunch...this will make my wife very happy having cleaner hot water!
Warring Angel If your tank is knocking this may not go away without removing the entire drain valve and evacuating all the calcium through the 3/4 port as this is usually large enough to get out the larger chunks.
CRC Plumbing, Okay...sounds like I may need a plumber for that, huh? Or do you have another video?
Warring Angel Sorry,I don't currently have a video on that one.
CRC Plumbing, It's all good...thanks for this one...it's very detailed and easy to follow.
Thank you I didn't think through the air lock.
great video This sure helped a lot
There are a few more important steps to be mentioned
1. Turn off the heating or switch off the power at the home fuse panel (30A) the night before and take 1-2 showers to lower the water temp and not damage the draining hose
2. Turn off (close) the cold water vane or red lever at the pipe just above the tank
3. Connect the hose at the drain valve, open the drain valve with a flat butter knife if there is no place for a screw driver
4. Open the hot water at a nearby bathroom faucet to allow air inside the tank, otherwise it won't start draining. You can also lift the spring tank burping valve
5. Let the tank drain for about 1.5h. It will drain first cold water, warm water starts flowing after about 30 min
6. Once the tank stops draining CLOSE the spring burping valve if you did open it - very important otherwise you will flood the room
7. Leave the bathroom faucet hot water OPEN - very important to vent the air from the house piping
8. Open the cold water valve or red lever just above the tank. The bathroom faucet will start hissing loudly evacuating air from pipes. The hissing will last 5-10 minutes
9. Allow the tank to drain with cold water for 10 min or more. Never close the bathroom hot water faucet during this time
10. Close the cold water valve or red lever just above the tank but leave the bathroom hot water faucet OPEN - the hissing will continue another 5 min or so
11. Close the drain valve - don't tighten too hard, remove the drain hose. Check the valve for dripping. May want to rotate it a little back and forth but don't overtighten
12. With the bathroom hot water faucet still open, open the cold water valve or red lever just above the tank. The tank will start filling up and the bathroom faucet will hiss for 5-10 minutes. Once the bathroom hot water faucet stops hissing and starts having a steady water flow, turn it off to allow the tank to fill up fully.
13. When the tank is fully filled (takes a few minutes), the cold water piping at the tank gets quiet. Again, during all this time the spring burping valve is CLOSED
14. Turn back on the tank heating only when the tank is fully filled up
15. Check again the drain valve 1-2 days later for dripping
The biggest risk with draining the tank is the drain valve may get stuck with debris and will start leaking when closed up. Have this in mind before starting. You may try closing/opening the valve a few times to free it from debris, but if the tank has a lot of sediments you may actually cause more trouble trying to drain it. May try to use a garden hose to put a water jet through the open valve to clear the debris.
Nope
Thanks. Just finished mine. Easy.
Worked for me! Thanks for the guide.
Gonna take a sedimental journey
Gonna drain my water tank.
Gonna make a sedimental journey
Won't need to go to the riverbank.
Thank you. This is very helpful.
Glad to help.
Thank you from New Orleans
Thank you for this video you saved me big money 💰
Nice
Thank you for the vid...tank was due.
Thank you so much for the good job
Great video and informative.
You don’t need to open the hoses on top of tank or the pressure release valve, just open any hot water faucet in the house this will create the vacuum necessary to flow water out. Why would you go through that. Other than that the video seems correct
I tried a faucet and heard nothing, then tried the shower faucet and then I heard water moving except no water came out. I'm thinking there might be an obstruction.
yeee he lost me when he started doing all that.
agreed, it's better to just turn on the hot water faucet.
Works the same but may be the better option to open hot water faucet rather than the pressure relief valve. Friends used pressure relief valve for this and after it was open it never shut off back properly and they had a leak with immediate call to plumber to replace the valve as it was not opened for decade and its emergency use one, so it corroded and spring never shut it back. more dangerous than opening the faucet for sure.
@The Master Chad shut off the cold water intake to tank. That is creating the pressure.
thanks buddy I use this video all the time
Glad to be of help.Thanks for watching.
excellent video! thank you so much! i never even knew i was supposed to do this and i've owned my own home 3 years now! hopefully it's not too late, but the water was pretty merky! only thing i caught that was mis-spoken was at the end you said to turn it to the left from pilot to on and then turned it to the right to on. but that's ok cause i got it. thanks again!
Ah sorry for that,thanks for the info.
no prob! thanks for the video! and for the slightly-cleaner, if albeit still far beyond life expectancy, water tank, haha
Great vid. Well done!
Thank you ray liotta.
Super helpful. Thx!