# Emtying the water heater - tips?



## bambam (Mar 25, 2014)

I think we have all run into that that problem when we cant get a tank to drain fast enough. Had a 50 gal yesterday, drained good for 15 seconds, and then a trickle. Trying to flush with supply line, bang, tap, even hooked the good old pump to it. Eventually just yanked the sob out of the basement (1/4 full, we all know that's never fun).

Besides actually breaking the drain valve off, what else have you guys had success with?


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## younger-plumber (Sep 12, 2008)

Hook up a pump with a long washing machine hose clip the end off and siphon through the t&p or the hot outlet. Works every time!


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Blow it out and get it flowing before you turn the water off. This can take a little time depending on the amount of sediment. 

If this doesn't work I pull out the drain valve and install a black nipple with a ball valve. The ball valve is 3/4 pipe thread by hose thread. It's full port so I keep the valve closed until I get my hose screwed on then open. It will drain this way no matter how much sediment is in there.


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## bambam (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for the info guys, never thought of either way. I'll be sure to give em a shot.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

I've used a brass nipple and ball valve when the water heater was staying. Had to winterize the house. Still didn't drain but you can shove something through to break up the sediment so it will drain. I've siphoned through the t&p by removing it to drain before also. I've even used an air compressor and a rig to blow through the drain valve to break up sediment to get it draining. Make sure the air has a way to escape.


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## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

I emptied a water heater afterhours last night with an ice cream pail and buckets. No floor drain, old house with a crawl space. Pump wouldn't suck water out so I tried to "play" with the valve which ended up breaking off. My closet reinstall looked nice when I was done and I ended up with a hundy for a tip, the boss warned me to be sure to get payment when I was done (knows her well).


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

I use a air compressor on the hot side with a rig I made up with some rad hose a gear clamp for 1/2 or a shark bite coupling for 3/4. Idon't cut the heater free on the cold side and use the valve to stop the air from filling the pipes in the whole house.


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## Plumbworker (Oct 23, 2008)

if in a unfinished space ill pull the drain rod it out with a long screw driver then thread a ball valve or the old drain back on then finish the job..


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I always start the draining before turning the water off. House pressure will flush out sediment and get your drain down off to a good start.

David


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

I will undo the packing and retainer nut and with a rag (to prevent getting sprayed) take out the shut off knob stem. Then I work some solder into the drain port towards the tank to break up the sediment. Once it's flowing, put the knob back on


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

Keefer w said:


> I will undo the packing and retainer nut and with a rag (to prevent getting sprayed) take out the shut off knob stem. Then I work some solder into the drain port towards the tank to break up the sediment. Once it's flowing, put the knob back on


That's what I do except I use an old wire bucket handle. Same concept.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

Keefer w said:


> I will undo the packing and retainer nut and with a rag (to prevent getting sprayed) take out the shut off knob stem. Then I work some solder into the drain port towards the tank to break up the sediment. Once it's flowing, put the knob back on


What about the crappy plastic drain valves ?


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

What is this draining all you guys are talkin about? A full 40 gal water heater with sediment weighs what 420lbs! Just pull that thing out and and put it on a dolly and roll it out! I haven't drained a water heater before draining in years. But I do have the nickname "The Russian Concussion"


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> What is this draining all you guys are talkin about? A full 40 gal water heater with sediment weighs what 420lbs! Just pull that thing out and and put it on a dolly and roll it out! I haven't drained a water heater before draining in years. But I do have the nickname "The Russian Concussion"


Where's the 420 comes from??? Ya never been in basment with rickey stairs..


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> What is this draining all you guys are talkin about? A full 40 gal water heater with sediment weighs what 420lbs! Just pull that thing out and and put it on a dolly and roll it out! I haven't drained a water heater before draining in years. But I do have the nickname "The Russian Concussion"


Are your water heaters in basements ? If we had slabs and water heaters on first floor I wouldn't mind doin that


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

dclarke said:


> Are your water heaters in basements ? If we had slabs and water heaters on first floor I wouldn't mind doin that


Or in garage... without stand...


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## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Where's the 420 comes from??? Ya never been in basment with rickey stairs..


Worked for a guy who has his field career ended with a set of stairs collapsing on a hwt re/re


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

Haha! It worked, I was just dikin'round waiting for rj to chime in about the tank being in the basement. That was fast. In all seriousness we don't have many basements here and I think the weight is more like 520lbs or something and I haven't tossed those around in quite a few years. 
Back to the OP's question I usually establish flow with pressure on then ill usually use my liberty transfer pump. I like it cuz I can get it goin and gets to getin the other one set up. The downside to the pump that sediment can tear em up but it is what it is.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> Haha! It worked, I was just dikin'round waiting for rj to chime in about the tank being in the basement. That was fast. In all seriousness we don't have many basements here and I think the weight is more like 520lbs or something and I haven't tossed those around in quite a few years.
> Back to the OP's question I usually establish flow with pressure on then ill usually use my liberty transfer pump. I like it cuz I can get it goin and gets to getin the other one set up. The downside to the pump that sediment can tear em up but it is what it is.


Lol.. I rounded it off to 545 lbs.. had one couple months ago.. completely plugged 36 years old Kenmore.. won't drain, can't stab it, screw it, one level til the two steps outside, had to remove 2 doors to get it out of the bathroom and bedroom.. with the new 2015 and on models,, no way...


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## plumber joe (Oct 17, 2008)

You can still pump it out through the hot side with the liberty pump. I made up a piece of 1/2" pex pipe with a hose adaptor and flexible hose to the pump. Pumps out in about 10 minutes.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> Lol.. I rounded it off to 545 lbs.. had one couple months ago.. completely plugged 36 years old Kenmore.. won't drain, can't stab it, screw it, one level til the two steps outside, had to remove 2 doors to get it out of the bathroom and bedroom.. with the new 2015 and on models,, no way...


Yea! Although its not good for longevity sumtimes we just gotta nut up or shut up. I'm afraid to even see the specs on the new ones next year.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

plumber joe said:


> You can still pump it out through the hot side with the liberty pump. I made up a piece of 1/2" pex pipe with a hose adaptor and flexible hose to the pump. Pumps out in about 10 minutes.


Yea, been Meaning to give that method a shot.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> Yea! Although its not good for longevity sumtimes we just gotta nut up or shut up. I'm afraid to even see the specs on the new ones next year.


Most water re designed heaters will be 2" wider and 1"-2" taller... the shorty will be more fatter.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

bambam said:


> I think we have all run into that that problem when we cant get a tank to drain fast enough. Had a 50 gal yesterday, drained good for 15 seconds, and then a trickle. Trying to flush with supply line, bang, tap, even hooked the good old pump to it. Eventually just yanked the sob out of the basement (1/4 full, we all know that's never fun). Besides actually breaking the drain valve off, what else have you guys had success with?


Any plumber worth his weight in salt would know to do the following:

Open the drain on full pressure for at least 30 seconds.

Turn off valve and release air lock either by loosening a union.

If you don't get a steady flow after that, tighten union to regain airlock and replace petcock with a nipple and a full port valve with hose adapter. I keep a few of these rigs on the van ready to go.

And if that won't work, I have a rig for my air compressor. A strong pump will work as well.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

I crack the drain off with whatever's handy. Ain't nobody got time for that!


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

love2surf927 said:


> That's what I do except I use an old wire bucket handle. Same concept.


the water heaters here in ky are so full of calcium build up that solder or wire wouldn't make a dent in busting it loose,have to take a screwdriver or something to knock it loose


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

sparky said:


> the water heaters here in ky are so full of calcium build up that solder or wire wouldn't make a dent in busting it loose,have to take a screwdriver or something to knock it loose


That's where I started using the solder method.Louisville metro.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

sparky said:


> the water heaters here in ky are so full of calcium build up that solder or wire wouldn't make a dent in busting it loose,have to take a screwdriver or something to knock it loose


5 gallon bucket wire is pretty rigid. Meh, works for me.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Keefer w said:


> That's where I started using the solder method.Louisville metro.


they are on different water system,louisville water co.,i live about 80 miles south of Louisville in the south central ky area,and the water must be different,had a heater the other day had so much build up in it that it wouldn't drain,had to take boiler drain apart and use small screwdriver to break it up about three times before it would blow out and start draining.

where you work at in Louisville?????


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

love2surf927 said:


> 5 gallon bucket wire is pretty rigid. Meh, works for me.


cool,i will try that on the next one,see if I can get it to punch thru that crap


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

sparky said:


> they are on different water system,louisville water co.,i live about 80 miles south of Louisville in the south central ky area,and the water must be different,had a heater the other day had so much build up in it that it wouldn't drain,had to take boiler drain apart and use small screwdriver to break it up about three times before it would blow out and start draining.
> 
> where you work at in Louisville?????


Left Louisville two years ago. Tom Drexler plumbing. Before that,I was doing contract work at fort Knox for some shady outfit in Radcliffe.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Keefer w said:


> Left Louisville two years ago. Tom Drexler plumbing. Before that,I was doing contract work at fort Knox for some shady outfit in Radcliffe.


Was it lusk mech at Fort Knox???or did you work on base for the outfit that has the maintence contract???i have tried to get on at Knox before with no luck


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

sparky said:


> Was it lusk mech at Fort Knox???or did you work on base for the outfit that has the maintence contract???i have tried to get on at Knox before with no luck


Not lusk. D.o.d. Sold most housing at around 13 bases around the country. At Knox, I was doing renovation plumbing from minor ground work through setting fixtures on single story duplexes. I know donhauer got the new construction contract.


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

MTDUNN said:


> Any plumber worth his weight in salt would know to do the following:
> 
> Open the drain on full pressure for at least 30 seconds.
> 
> ...


Best answer yet! If you have to change the drain, not much water will come out after you get the airlock situation reastablished. I used Wayne Porta-Pumps, best for that application


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