Your water heater may be one of the appliances in your home you take for granted— A home water heater needs to be drained as part of regular home maintenance.
Why Do It?
• Draining ensures the long life of your water heater by flushing out minerals and other debris that can cause it to malfunction. • If you do not properly maintain your water heater, it may cease to function altogether or result in cold bursts of water when least expected
How Often?
Once a year
How to do it:
• On a gas water heater, turn the gas valve to the off position. On an electric water heater, turn the electric off to the heater. • Shut the cold water off to the water heater. • Open a hot water faucet. • Connect a hose to the drain valve on the heater and run to a drain. • Open the drain valve and allow the tank to completely drain. • Turn back on the cold water into the water heater. • Allow the water to run through the water heater and out of the drain valve. Do this for approximately five (5) or ten (10) minutes. • Close the drain valve and allow the tank to refill, keeping the hot water faucet open. When water comes out of the faucet, the tank is full.
