How to Drain Your Water Heater, and Why?

Why Should You Drain Your Water Heater?

The water heater is an essential part of any Winchester home system. Regular maintenance of your water heater is required to keep it up and running and avoid the headache of costly repairs down the line.

Part of keeping your water heater in good running order is removing sediment from the water heater tank, which can bog the system down and reduce its overall lifespan over time. The sediment build up should be removed once a year to keep the water heater in prime running condition. This is accomplished by draining the water heater.

What is Involved in Draining a Water Heater?

Before any work is performed on the water heater, it is vital that the power or gas to the water heater is turned off. The water supply valve to the heater must also be shut off. Then, the valve to the water heater should be opened so that the water within the tank can drain out.

Once the water has been removed, the valve for the water supply should be opened to allow the rush of water to flush out any remaining sediment in the bottom of the water heater tank.

When the last of the sediment has been flushed out, the valve can be closed to allow the water to collect in the tank again. After there is water in the tank, power or gas to the water heater can be turned on again.

Is Draining a Water Heater a Task for the Average Homeowner to Try Himself?

Something as complicated and potentially catastrophic as water heater maintenance is not typically in the wheelhouse of the average homeowner. Draining a water heater is part of regular preventative maintenance that is easily and inexpensively performed by a plumbing company with years of experience in this type of service.

Because of the pressure and valve releases involved in draining a water heater, it is possible than you can cause serious water damage to your home and even the water heater unit itself by performing this maintenance task yourself. A quick call to a reputable and experienced Winchester plumbing company can save you hours of headache and expensive repairs.

For quality services in your Winchester, VA home, call Powell’s Plumbing at 540-665-8196.