How to Bleed Water From Copper Pipes

Most people refer to removing the water from their plumbing system as "draining the water" rather than "bleeding the water." Regardless of what you call it, there are three reasons why it may be necessary: to do major repair work, to eliminate a water hammer problem, or to avoid a burst pipe if your heating system shuts down during the winter. Follow the steps below to empty all the water from your pipes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small bucket Large bucket Hose

1. Locate where the water supply enters your home and turn off the first valve on the line.

2. Go to the highest faucet in your house and open it.

3. Work your way down to the basement, opening all the faucets along the way. Don't forget the ones outside.

4. Find the lowest drain in your basement. It might be located at the water heater--if you are draining the pipes to avoid freezing, you will need to drain the heater tank. If draining for repair work or to remove a water hammer, you don't have to bother draining the water heater if there is another low valve you can use.

5. Turn off the water heater before emptying. The level of the valve will determine what size bucket you can use and whether you will need a hose. If the valve is quite low, you can connect a hose and let the water run into a drain, if you have one. If not, run the hose into your little bucket and empty it into the big one when it's full.