How do you drain a hot water heater? I've even opened the hot water faucet and it still does not drain???

Question

This is my third hot water heater and I have never been successful in draining out the water from the heater???

Please advise...

Answer 1

Ruth,

  Is your water heater in the basement, like most?

You will need to first turn off the gas or electric source to it.

If it is below grade (ground) level, you'll then need to turn off

the water inlet valve.   Look at the top of the heater, there should be two pipes, one tied to the "cold" (should be printed into the metal), and one tied to the hot.

Follow the cold pipe up, and if there is a shut-off valve, close it.  

At the bottom of the water heater, there should be a drain spigot.   You'll need to connect a hose to it, and use a bucket to drain down the heater.

If your heater is at or above ground height, you can tie a hose to the drain valve and just let it go.

Open an upstairs hot faucet to let air in, so the heater will drain easier.

Answer 2

as mike said...there's a faucet at the bottom of the water heater (or should be)...hook a garden hose up to it...run the hose outdoors and turn the spigot on...

before you do that...make sure that you locate the water heater circuit breaker on your main breaker panel and flip the breaker to OFF...there should also be a shut off valve on the water supply line going TO the heater...turn this off also.

after the heater is finished draining shut the spigot on the heater and disconnect the hose...turn ON the inlet valve to re-fill the heater and do not turn on the heater breaker until you are sure the heater is completely refilled or you could burn out one or both heating elements.

Answer 3

There should be something that looks like a outdoor water spicket near the bottom of the tank,just hook up a water hose to it and turn handle.

Answer 4

First, turn off the valve that lets the water INTO the heater. It is located near the heater. Then turn on all of the hot water on all of the faucits in the house to drain what's in the lines. when those quit running, check the bottom of the heater for a drain valve/spikket. If it has one, it will usually be threaded to hook a garden hose to it. Hook up the hose and run it outside and open the valve. That should drain it. Good luck, Handy Lady

Answer 5

Everyone ^^^^ is right about how to drain it. The problem can be, and I suspect the crux of your question, is you open that valve and nothing comes out. You have successfully deduced that a vacuum can occur and opened a faucet no no avail.

If I'm right about what I said then your problem is a build up of sediment in the bottom of the tank. Not much you can do about it sorry to say. For the future you may want to look into a water softener and a filter to prevent it from happening again.

Answer 6

The responder above neglected to include some VERY IMPORTANT steps.

FIRST: Turn off the water heater (if there's no switch, you can close it by turning the circuit to off)

SECOND: Close the valve on the water heater that brings the water in from the main.

THIRD: Turn on the hot water tap in the bathtub and let it drain until nothing comes out of the tap.

FOURTH: Then, and only then open the drain valve located on the water heater. There will still be a lot of water, so be prepared to mop it up.

Answer 7

There is a drain on the bottom, open it and the water in the tank will drain.  If you turn on your hot water, it will still fill up.  This drain looks just like the faucet outside of your house.

Answer 8

Unless the water heater is drained on, at least, an annual basis they tend to clog the drain faucet with calcium buildup. The reason for draining is to get rid of the calcium before it builds up to the clogging point but most people don't bother until there is a problem, by which time it is usually too late. You can try building a dam around it with old towels and rags then with a small pan under it open the drain and try running a stiff wire into the drain to unstop it. Then reinstall the hose and drain. That will sometimes work and sometimes it has to be done over and over until all the blockage is out and the heater drained.

Answer 9

the drain c**k is plugged with lime try poking it open with a straightened wire coat hanger or remove the whole valve also you could try putting lime away in the tank you do this by remove the the in water line and pouring it derectly in the tank last turn water heater on its sie let water run out the in hole

Answer 10

1) turn off power to water heater at breaker, or shut off gas

2) close cold water inlet valve at top of water heater

3) proceed as listed above: connect a hose to bottom drain spigot, open spigot