Steps for draining a hot water heater
Over time sediment can build up at the base of hot water heaters. If this occurs, you should drain the water out of the water heater cylinder and flush it with clean water. This will maximize the life of the cylinder, and help keep the hot water coming out of your taps clean.
While it is not necessary to drain hot water heaters annually (in spite of what some people may advise), you should drain it if the cylinder is two or three years old, or if you notice that the hot water is discolored. You might find it necessary to drain it every year the older it gets. But in any case, a hot water heater should be replaced every eight to twelve years.
Sometimes people drain the hot water system when they leave their homes vacant for any length of time (months rather than weeks). This may be a good idea if there is a possibility the water in the tank might freeze. However, an empty tank is more likely to rust than one that is full of water. For this reason it is best to rather switch off the water at the stop cock on the inlet pipe that comes from the water mains.
How to drain your water heater
Draining a hot water heater tank or cylinder is a reasonably simple exercise, providing you follow the correct steps.
- If you have an electric hot water heater, turn off the power supply to the heater. If you have a gas heater, turn the gas to the lowest level possible.
- Allow the water to cool. It really isn't a good idea to drain hot water from a water heater.
- Switch off the cold water supply to the cylinder.
- Attach plastic tubing or a garden hose to the outlet of the cylinder ensuring it is long enough to run to a drain or into the garden. If the hot water heater is located in a basement, and you don't have a sump hole or drain in the floor, you are going to have to drain the water into buckets and ferry it outside, bit by bit.
- Once you are all set up, turn on the hot water tap and allow the cylinder to empty.
- Shut off the drain valve when there is no water left in the cylinder. Then turn the cold water on and let it run. This should effectively loosen any sediment that didn't run out with the cooled hot water.
- Allow the cylinder to fill partially before totally draining it again. If it clogs, turn the cold water on again. Repeat this process until the water coming out of the cylinder runs clear, without any sign of sedimentary matter.
- Your hot tap should still be on. Continue to fill the cylinder until the water starts flowing out of the hot tap or outlet. At this point the cylinder will be full.
How to avoid sediment from forming
The amount of sediment that forms will depend on the quality of the water supplied to your home. Even normally clean, clear mains water sometimes arrives full of grit and sand. This might be caused by major storms, or even because the water company has been flushing out its lines.
The only way to totally avoid the possibility of sediment is to have a full-on filtration system fitted. Long term, this will not only filter out sediment, but also prolong the life of plumbing fixtures and fittings, offsetting the cost of the unit and installation.
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