How to Maintain a Water Heater Drain Valve

Maintaining the water heater's drain valve may save you problems down the road.

Most every homeowner faces a time when he must drain the hot water heater. Occasionally, this is due to minor repairs that must be carried out, such as the replacement of a heating element. The water heater must also be drained and flushed if you suspect an accumulation of sediment within the tank. Whatever the reason, the water heater's drain valve must be fully functional if the tank is to be drained quickly and efficiently. Fortunately, drain valve maintenance is relatively simple.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Connect an ordinary garden hose to the water heater's drain valve. The drain valve will have standard threads on the end that allow you attach a garden hose. Using your hand, turn the fitting on the garden hose clockwise. The fitting should be turned all the way onto the drain valve.

2. Place the open end of the hose outside or in the drain of a nearby sink. If a floor drain is accessible, insert the hose into it. Be aware the water exiting the tank will be hot and under normal pressure.

3. Open the drain valve. If the valve is constructed of plastic and hasn't been used for an extended period of time, open the valve carefully. The plastic may break if you use too much force. Allow hot water to drain through the valve for roughly five minutes. This will flush sediment out of the bottom of the tank. It is this sediment that may eventually collect and harden within the drain valve, clogging it or rendering it useless.

4. Remove the end of the hose from the drain. If the hose is draining outside, go outside. Fill a bucket with the hot water draining from the tank. Allow the water to settle in the bucket for approximately one minute. Look in the bucket. If the water is clear, you may shut off the valve and disconnect the garden hose. If the water is cloudy or you notice sand/sediment on the bottom of the bucket, continue flushing for five minutes and refill the bucket once more. Continue until the water in the bucket comes out clear.

5. Flush the hot water heater in this manner once every three to five months. This will keep the drain valve in working order and prevent damaging sediment from collecting inside the tank and/or clogging the valve.

Tips & Warnings

• When simply flushing the bottom of the tank and drain valve, it is not necessary to shut off the power to the hot water heater or turn off the cold water supply.

References

• Purcellville VA: How to Flush a Hot Water Heater
• Lower My Energy Bill: Drain Hot Water Heater
• Ron Hazelton's Housecalls: How to Drain and Flush Your Water Heater