Drain Your Own Water Heater

If you need to drain out your Lockport, IL water heater, be sure you know what you’re doing. After all, you do not want to be wounded or cause damage to your home. If you are unsure about any of the following measures, contact the experienced Lockport, IL plumbers at Trailblazer Plumbing, and we will teach you how.

Most water heater manuals suggest emptying the equipment every six to twelve months. Why? To remove silt and buildup that has accumulated at the tank’s bottom owing to water minerals. This accumulation makes your Lockport, IL water heater work harder, consumes more energy, and costs you more money.

Before You Begin

Find your home’s main water shutdown valve, even if you don’t need it right now. It’s a good precaution for any plumbing project in case something goes wrong.

Put your safety first.

You may be dealing with scorching water here. Consider shutting off your heater many hours in advance for safer cooling. If not, wear heavy-duty rubber gloves and safety glasses to protect your hands and eyes from the hot water.

Step 1: Turn off the water heater.

To turn off your Lockport, IL gas water heater, look for the off button or the gas line lever. You may wish to attach a hose and cleanse the water heater for a while with the water on, however this step is normally left for professional water heater flushing.

Step 2: Turn off the cold water.

Locate the lever on the pipe that supplies cold water to your heater and turn it off.

Step 3: Let it cool.

Allow your water heater time to cool down. Working with really hot water is unsafe. Even if you have the equipment listed above, it is better to work with a cooled water heater in Lockport, IL.

Step 4: Open the hot water faucet.

Turn on a hot water faucet anywhere in your home. This relieves pressure, allowing your heater to drain and flush easily.

Step 5: Attach the Hose

Connect a hose to your water heater’s bottom outlet in Lockport, IL. Any old hose should suffice. Place the other end into a bucket or your

Step 6: Open the drain valve.

Open your water heater’s drain valve. It could be a valve, lever, or button. If twisting is required, turn counterclockwise (left) to open. Drain the water into a bucket or floor drain. You will observe sediment streaming out with the water. Do this until the water running out of the heater is clear.

Step 7: Return to Normal

Once completed, return your system to its normal condition. Before winding up, close the drain valve, unhook the hose, turn on the household water, turn on the water heater, and make sure it is appropriately heated.

Call for Water Heater Help Today!

Draining your Lockport, IL water heater is simple and often takes only an hour or two. Call Trailblazer Plumbing if you have any questions, if things don’t go as planned, or if you don’t want to perform the work yourself. And, if you require water heater repair, contact our Lockport, IL plumbers now!