Basic Home Maintenance : How to Drain a Water Heater

When draining a hot water heater, attach a garden hose to the unit, turn the vent line and lead the water outside the home. Learn important safety tips when draining water heaters, such as never draining hot water, in this free video from a home repair specialist on maintaining and fixing houses.

Expert: Tim Gipson
Contact: www.inhisstepsremodeling.com
Bio: Tim Gipson is a home repair specialist and remodeling contractor in Franklin, Tenn.
Filmmaker: Tim Brown

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• home repair
• home maintenance
• home improvement

[jke806]

Good tips but confusing. Why do I need to drain it to the road? Can I drain a hot water heater if it is still operable, say for maintenance purposes to clear the sediment? Might have been helpful if you had actually shown how to drain the water heater, not just talked about it.

[MidNightRider2001]

All I have is an uncommon garden hose.

[ecgleaton]

Hot water can contain toxic compounds because of a chlorinated water supply, such as chloroform. It is more corrosive than cold water and can therefore contain bisphenol-A (a suspected carcinogen recently banned from baby bottles) and heavy metals such as lead (a neurotoxin) stripped from PVC or lead pipes or the heater itself.

Drain the water into a house drain that leads to a water treatment facility, you CANNOT drain toxic compounds into street storm drains which lead directly into streams.

[francblack]

Well, if you are going to show how to drain it, then you should actually drain it ... otherwise, don't crowd the youtube with half measures.

[pickgospel]

I had a friend who was killed because someone drained water into a roadway and it iced over...be aware

[Numberniner9]

@plhs987 I just read your comment. I guess for precautions use common sense. First turn the electricity off (golden rule). Then let the water cool off. If you can't get a hose attached to drain the water directly to your lawn outside, get at least a couple of big buckets and the shop vac ready (without filter/bag), as well as some old rags you may need for any water that gets spilled. I was successful and know nothing about plumbing but I learned a big deal about this. Took me a whole day :)

[TomZentra]

@plhs987 The main reason for draining to the street is that the property grading allows all the water to run down the length of the hose. Some homeowners mistakenly run the hose to a utility sink nearby. This leaves trapped in the water heater and hose. Unfortunately, DIY videos never explain WHY you're supposed to run the hose down to the street. You can also run the hose to a floor drain, if the water heater is inside a basement.

[atlantic1021]

Could I turn off the water to the tank and turn on my hot faucets and just drain it out?

[atlantic1021]

Could I turn off the water to the take and turn on my hot faucets and just drain it out?

[CampbellDukeBranding]

I found this video helpful - we just found water under our floor boards and have discovered the flippin' thing's been leaking a while. This video was a bit of reassurance as we are formulating our plan of action. Water off. Power off. Message left with plumber. Thanks for this nice short video.

[koolkinjkajou]

I just drained it to the road and it caused a car 10 pile up and my wife had to bail me out of jail.