How to drain a water heater

One of the most basic water heater maintenance practices is draining it regularly. It is necessary to do this to eliminate the sediment build-up over time. Unfortunately, most homeowners assume and neglect this process causing the sediments to build up over time. What they do not appreciate is the fact that such sediments have the potential to clog the heating pump and reduce its efficiency. In difficult situations, such deposits can cause the unit to break down completely, forcing the homeowner to spend extra cash replacing a unit that would have served them for a few more years. Rather than find yourself in such a situation, consider draining the heater regularly. This should be part of the professional HVAC maintenance package that your HVAC technician offers. You may pay a little extra for this service, but it is worth it in the long run. Alternatively, make a point of draining the sediments yourself, especially if you have not done it in years. You first need to turn off the water supply to the heater. In case the heater is electric, disconnect it from the power source before handling it any further. In case it is a gas pump, turn the knob to pilot mode and shut off the water supply by closing off the cold valve. Next, please turn on the hot water valve and let it run on full blast for a while. This should push out the sediments and avoid vacuums, which helps the heater to drain much faster. The next step should be hooking up the drain line with the drain valve remaining closed. You should attach a garden hose to the drain valve and run it and finally open the valve to eject the sediments before returning everything to its previous state.

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