Many homeowners adhere to the “out of sight out of mind” philosophy to owning and operating their appliances. This leads to short-lived appliances, high repair costs, and replacement. These are expensive pieces of machinery so it is highly important

to practice regular maintenance. The water heater, is no different.

Draining Your Water Heater

Over time, sediment will develop on the inside of your water heater. This will accumulate until it covers the burner and effectively snuffs it out. In addition, the sediment will take up some of the volume of the tank and reduce the amount of available hot water. To drain your water heater, follow these 10 steps:

1. Set the temperature control to the OFF position.
2. Let the water inside the tank cool down.
3. Close the shutoff valve on the water supply.
4. Attach a hose to the bottom drain valve that leads to an open drain.
5. Turn on the hot water in the house. This will release the air from the tank.
6. Open the drain valve on the water tank
7. After the water is completely drained, open and close the cold water supply valve a few times. This will assist the flushing of the tank.
8. Close the drain valve, and open the inlet valve. This will refill the tank
9. Reset the temperature and turn on the heater.
10. Take pride in a job well done!

Congratulations!

This is an important part of home maintenance and will ensure that your water heater lives a long health life. There is nothing worse than an icy shower in the heart of winter, so make sure to flush out that sediment every year!