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Water heaters are something that most homeowners take for granted until it runs out. Coldwater influences the importance of water heater maintenance. Hence, the water heater’s manual suggests you should drain a water heater at an interval of six to 12 months. Draining out the water heater is one of the best preventative maintenance tasks that most homeowners can do to prolong the service life of their water heater.
Why Is It Essential To Drain The Water Heater?
The significant reason behind draining the water heater is to remove the sediments that collect at the bottom of the water heater tank due to the minerals and other particles in the water. Consequently, these accumulated sediments can potentially affect the water heater’s capacity to heat the water, resulting in more energy consumption and high electricity bills. Therefore, their periodic maintenance and inspection by the professional Modesto plumbers are essential to ensure the optimal working of the water heater in the long run.
Safety Considerations Before Draining The Water Heater
Since this process involves working with water that can be extensively hot, you might need to let the water in the tank cool down by turning off the water heater several hours before you begin. If you forget to turn off the water heater, use the heavy-duty rubber work gloves to protect your hands and wear safety glasses to save your eyes from hot water droplets.
The material You’ll Need
- Garden hose
- Flat-head screwdriver/li>
- Bucket/li>
- Adjustable wrench/li>
- Drain valve and threaded hose cap (if necessary) /li>
Instructions to Follow
Before we begin, if you haven’t inspected your water heater for many years and are experiencing some other problems, it would be better to seek professional assistance for water heater repair in Modesto. For such cases, draining the water heater will not be a viable option.
Flush The Tank Of The Water Heater:
Before turning off the water heater, flush the water heater tank by connecting a garden hose to the drain valve. To perform this task, open the drain valve for a few seconds and close it again. This process will enable the pressure to blow out any sediment stuck in the valve and help the water heater tank to drain faster. You can repeat it multiple times to ensure the complete removal of sediments.
Turn Off The Water Heater:
Turn the power off if it is an electric water heater or shut off the gas to your water heater. Now, turn the water supply off, either using the valve in the cold-water pipe or the main water supply valve to your house.
Open The Drain Valve:
Open the drain valve by attaching the garden hose to it. You can also do it manually, but you might need to use a flat-head screwdriver to perform the task. After opening the valve, the water will gush out of the drain. But while doing this, make sure the hose either leads outside or into the bucket.
Close The Tank, Refill It, And Restart The Water Heater:
After flushing out the water from the drain, close the drain valve, remove the hose and refill the tank with a cold water supply. Now, turn off the hot water tap that opened earlier. Once the cold water begins to overflow, turn it off. Along with that, turn the electrical power on or the gas valve on from the pilot position. Most importantly, ensure no water leaks at the spout when your drain valve is closed. But instead of performing the task yourself, it is always best to turn to professionals for water heater drain cleaning in Modesto. They have a comprehensive set of tools and equipment and have the appropriate knowledge for performing the task promptly and professionally. Moreover, they will let you know whether your water heater needs repair or any replacement.
