Step-by-step draining the water heater

If you are wondering how to drain water from a water heater, then before starting work you need to take the following tool:

  • Adjustable wrench.
  • Bucket.
  • Drainage hose, for example from a washing machine.

If you have a classic water heater connection to the water supply without a cold water drain valve, then to completely drain the contents you need to perform the following steps:

Angle valves for hot and cold water.

1. Turn off the hot and cold water valves near the meter. If you have additional hot and cold water taps between the main pipes and the water heater, it is sufficient to turn them off only (as shown in the picture above) without turning off all the water in the apartment.

2. Power off the water heater from the mains.

3. Relieve pressure by opening the hot water valve on the tap.

Hot and cold water connection diagram for the water heater.

4. Unscrew the cold water supply hose to the water heater using an adjustable wrench. In this case, the bucket should already be under the hoses so that the water does not spill onto the floor. To avoid mixing up the hoses, pay attention to the plastic rings at the base of the water heater: the blue ring is for cold water, and the red one is for hot water.

5. The next step is to unscrew the check valve, which is usually screwed on 3.5 turns. Some users prefer not to remove the check valve, but to drain the water through it. However, the stream will be small and it will take an hour to fill the bucket. And in principle, it is not intended for this, and after frequent use it will begin to leak.

6.After unscrewing the check valve, connect the drain hose, which is led to the sewer or any reservoir.

7. Since the water does not come out by itself due to the lack of air, unscrew the hot water hose with a wrench. It is worth noting that the tube inside the water heater rises under the tank lid itself, so when opened, the water will not flow out of the hot water outlet, but will flow through the drainage tube.

8. After the water has completely drained, connect all the pipes and valves in the reverse order.

Popular storage water heaters

If you have a cold water drain valve in your connection diagram, the liquid is drained as follows:

1. First follow steps 1,2 and 3 of the previous guide.

Connection diagram with drain valve for cold water.

2. Then connect the drain hose to the cold water drain valve and lead it to a reservoir or toilet to drain the water heater.

3. Unscrew the hot water hose so that air enters the system. If the water heater is additionally equipped with a hot water drain valve, then it is enough to open only it without disconnecting the hose.

Water heaters with dry heating element

Recommendations for using water heaters

To ensure that your water heater lasts longer and you have to repair it less often, you should do the following:

  • Be sure to drain the water heater when you are not going to use it for more than three months, and also in winter if the water heater is installed in an unheated room such as a cottage.
  • The water heated in the tank must have a temperature of at least 55 degrees, otherwise bacteria and fungus will develop on the walls of the water heater.
  • If your model has an “E” economy mode function, be sure to turn it on. It reduces energy consumption.
  • If your tap water is very hard, it is recommended to install filters so that there is less scale in the tank and on the heating element.
  • The protective magnesium anode must be replaced every two years. This procedure will increase the service life of the heating element and will allow you to use the water heater for about 5 years, without the need to replace the heating element.
  • To ensure safety when working with a water heater, be sure to ground the device.