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Your Water Heater Should be Drained for Optimum Performance

In any Salt Lake City home that has a water heater, it may become necessary to drain it. When this happens, knowing how to properly drain the water heater will be important to ensure it's done safely.

While it may sound easy, many people take it for granted and create more problems than they originally had prior to starting the job. If you need to know how to properly drain your water heater and the situations when it may be necessary to do so, take a look at the information below.

Salt Lake City, UT water heater services, man turning dialWhy Drain the Heater

Contrary to what people think, there are many reasons why a water heater will need to be drained. For example, if the water heater needs to be moved from one place to another, it will need to be drained. In some cases, the water can become contaminated with odor-causing bacteria, and will need to be drained to rid the heater of the foul odors. In a related situation, the tank may become filled with lime deposits, requiring the water be drained before it becomes hardened and foul-tasting.

Turn Off the Power and Water

Before ever draining a water heater, it's necessary to turn off both the power to the heater and the water as well. Electric heaters are turned off by turning off the circuit breaker located in the home's electrical box, while gas heaters can be turned off by turning off the gas knob in front of the tank, then turning off the gas supply line valve. Once this is done, turn off the water by locating the cold water inlet valve, then turning it until the water flow to the heater is halted.

Connect a Hose

Once the power and water are turned off, it's time to connect a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. In most cases, a regular garden hose will be sufficient, so long as it is long enough to reach outside or stretched to a nearby sink or drain.

If necessary, the end of the hose can be put into a five-gallon bucket for added convenience. Just remember that when doing this, be sure the drain valve is opened all the way to ensure all the water can drain from the heater. Doing so can greatly improve the hot water quality in your Salt Lake City home.

If you need quality service in your Salt Lake City, UT home, please contact Valley Plumbing at 801-341-4222.