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Trickben.com » DIY » How to drain water from a water heater

How to drain water from a water heater

29 May 2023, 14:00, parser
0 comments    2 Show
Sooner or later, all owners of storage water heaters have a problem draining water from the tank. There may be several reasons for this:

  • preservation for the winter at the cottage or after the prevention of central hot water in the apartment;
  • cleaning the tank from accumulated deposits;
  • replacement of heating element, magnesium anode and other repairs;
  • use of water from the tank when the water supply is turned off.

Regardless of the reason, the discharge of the water heater storage is carried out according to the same algorithm.

1. Prepare materials and tools

  • Bucket or basin;
  • hose;
  • adjustable wrench;
  • screwdriver.

2. Lower the water temperature

In order not to get burned during operation, turn off the heating of the boiler and drain some of the hot water: the tank will fill with cold and the temperature will decrease. To save money, you can do this in advance by spending water on something you need.

3. De-energize the boiler

For safety reasons, all manipulations with the water heater should be carried out only after complete disconnection from the mains. To do this, de-energize the corresponding machine in the electrical panel or remove the plug of the power wire from the outlet.

4. Shut off the water supply

The next mandatory step is to block the supply at the entrance. If there is a tap on the cold water pipe next to the boiler, use it. If the strapping is done without such a tap, close the main cold water valve at the entrance to the apartment or house.

Owners of dwellings with central hot water supply must additionally shut off the hot water tap at the entrance.

5. Drain the water from the water heater

Just open the hot water on the mixer and empty the boiler will not work due to the fact that when the water is consumed, the tank is filled at the same time. Cold water pushes out hot water — that's how it works. It would seem that it is enough to turn off the tap at the entrance so that the boiler does not fill up, but no. Everything is a little more complicated.

Illustration: Artem Kozoriz / Lifehacker

The hot water intake tube is located at the very top of the tank, because when heated, the liquid rises up. The supply nozzle, on the contrary, is located at the bottom — so the water layers do not mix. Therefore, when the supply is blocked, no more than a liter will merge from the mixer.

The water can be completely drained only through the supply tube. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the flow of air into the tank so that no vacuum is created there and the liquid drains. Depending on the type of connection, this is done in different ways: from simply opening the tap to removing the fittings.

Connection with two tees

Illustration: Artem Kozoriz / Lifehacker

The most convenient scheme for draining. Thanks to the taps installed on the tees, it allows you to open air access to the tank and quickly empty it.

  • Make sure that the boiler supply and outlet taps are blocked. If there are none, close the valves on the risers of cold and hot water supply.
  • Put the hose on the drain tap on the tee at the entrance to the water heater and lower it into the basin, bucket or toilet. Open the tap.
  • Now open the tap on the tee at the boiler outlet.
  • Drain all or part of the water. If you need to pause, turn off the tap at the inlet of the water heater, and the liquid will stop flowing.

Connection with one tee

Illustration: Artem Kozoriz / Lifehacker

Not the worst connection option, which is still inferior in convenience to the previous one. A tee with a tap is installed only at the inlet, so you will have to let air into the tank through a mixer or by removing the pipe from the outlet fitting.

Illustration: Artem Kozoriz / Lifehacker

There is a variation of such a scheme without a tap at the outlet of the boiler. In fact, it is no different: the air is released in the same ways.

  • Check that the taps at the inlet and outlet of the water heater are blocked. In their absence, close the valves on the HVAC and DHW risers.
  • Attach the hose to the drain tap and lower it into a bucket or basin. Open the faucet.
  • Open the hot water on the nearest mixer and wait until all or the required amount is drained.
  • If the liquid flows poorly or does not go at all, it means that the air flows weakly through the mixer. In this case, remove the hose on the outlet fitting.
  • To stop the water, you can turn off the drain tap or simply close the outlet fitting with your finger.

Connection without tees

Illustration: Artem Kozoriz / Lifehacker

The most inconvenient strapping scheme is when the water heater is connected directly without tees and taps. We have only a safety valve with a drainage outlet at our disposal. Through it, though slowly, but you can also drain the water. In extreme cases, the valve is easy to remove, and then the flow will be much larger.

  • Make sure that the water on the cold and hot water supply risers is blocked.
  • Close the tap at the entrance to the boiler and open the hot water on the nearest mixer.
  • Put a hose on the valve spout and lower it into a bucket or basin. Raise the valve flag.
  • If the water drains very slowly or does not flow at all, remove the hose from the boiler outlet to ensure air flow.
  • If there is no check mark on the valve or the liquid is still weak, disconnect the supply hose from the valve and insert a thin screwdriver into its body. This will lift the spring blocking the reverse flow of water, and the jet will significantly increase.
  • To speed up the drain, you can simply remove the valve to completely release the inlet nozzle of the water heater.

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