THIS IS A HAMMER

Why Drain a Hot-Water Heater?

Q: A neighbor of mine said that he drains his hot water heater twice a year to keep it clear. Won’t draining the heater damage it? — Sal P., Tallahassee, Fla.

A: Actually, draining the water heater can help it heat water more efficiently and even extend its service life. The trick is to turn it off and let the water cool for a few hours. Then, shut off the water supply to the heater so it won’t refill as you drain it.

Note: If you need to turn off the water supply to the entire house or part of the house in order to turn off the heater’s supply, open the taps on the other sinks in your house.

Attach a length of garden hose to the water-heater drain spigot, just long enough to comfortably hang over the edge of the bucket you’ll use to catch the drained water. (If a utility sink is nearby, that’s an even better option; run the hose to the sink.) Turn the spigot on slowly, until it’s fully open. Drain the tank as far as possible—this could mean detaching the hose and catching the last of the water in a bucket. Then, close the spigot and turn the water supply back on to fill the tank, and turn on the heater.

If you had to turn on the other taps in the house, once the water supply is back on, turn the taps off. (You want water to run through them after a shutoff to prevent air from getting trapped in the pipes.)

Draining the water heater once or twice a year will remove sediment that can build up due to a number of factors. It’s not always done in the wintertime, but if you have a day or two that is above freezing and you can let the heater cool overnight, go for it.

HOME TIP: Setting the water heater’s temperature to “low” or “warm” — just below 120 F — will save on the cost of heating and prevent accidental scalding from water that’s too hot.

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