How To Drain Your Water Heater

A Simple Guide for Homeowners

At Leak Geeks Plumbing, we know your life runs on hot water. To ensure that your water heater is always efficient and reliable, we recommend regularly flushing the system in your Fort Worth home. This helps both standard tank and tankless water heaters operate at peak performance.

In this article, our plumbing experts discuss the benefits of this essential maintenance task, along with the steps to handle it yourself.

Why Should You Flush Your Water Heater?

Texas homeowners who routinely flush their water heaters will experience improved performance and efficiency. By removing sediment buildup, you can reduce unnecessary wear and tear on your system and extend its lifespan. We recommend flushing at least once per year.

6 Water Heater Draining Steps for Homeowners

Luckily, draining a water heater is a task that homeowners can perform themselves to keep their system in top-notch condition. Simply follow these steps for great results.

Gather Supplies

Before you begin this project, you’ll need to gather a few essential tools and supplies, including a garden hose, a flat-head screwdriver, and a bucket.

Shut Off Your Power

To prevent damage to your system and ensure your total safety, it’s important to shut off the power to your water heater before proceeding. If your home has a gas water heater, you’ll need to turn the thermostat to the “pilot” setting or turn off the gas supply. For an electric unit, switch off the power at the circuit breaker.

Let the Water Cool Down!

Homeowners who don’t allow the water to cool before flushing the tank risk severe burns. After shutting off the power, let it sit for a few hours.

Connect the Hose to the Drain Valve & Run a Faucet

Locate the drain valve at the bottom of your tank and attach one end of the garden hose. Then, place the other end of the hose in an area where it’s safe to drain and turn on a hot water tap in your home to allow the system to drain faster.

Turn Off Your Water

Turn off the water supply valve at the top of the heater to prevent the tank from refilling. This will ensure that your system has a completely empty tank.

Flush & Fill the Tank

Remove the hose from the drain valve and allow all remaining water and sediment to flow out. Once the water runs clear, you can close the drain valve and turn on the cold water supply to refill your tank. Finally, restore power at the circuit breaker or relight the pilot light.

Get Professional Water Heater Maintenance in NFW

Even with regular flushing, your water heater can benefit from routine professional water heater maintenance. Call the team at Leak Geeks Plumbing to schedule service with our team. Our upfront pricing and prompt, convenient service make us Fort Worth’s top choice for comprehensive plumbing care. Trust our uniformed plumbers to provide superior service with no mess left behind.

Contact Leak Geeks today to schedule water heater maintenance for your home in Keller, Arlington, or North Fort Worth.