Electric Water Heaters: Drain-Clean Them Properly?

Having electric water heaters is helpful enough to supply the amount of hot water for you and your family, particularly in the autumn and winter. You may have more than one unit in order to make sure the demand can be covered as well because the performance of them is slightly less powerful than gas hot water heating units, either for tankless model or for with storage-tank model. However the maintenance is so important and unfortunately there are some homeowners who still underestimate this issue. It is better to drain and clean your unit regularly in order to keep it running powerful and efficient. Moreover, this also will be useful to make a lot of components of the unit last longer. So, how to drain and clean electric water heaters properly?

Well… Generally, there are usually two group heating elements in your storage-tank electric hot water heater, one is positioned near the bottom and another is positioned near the top of tank. And it is so recommended to check those heating elements regularly or replace them if necessary if you feel they are no longer to work properly. The water inside of the tank could be 120 degrees F or more! So, one important thing before draining and cleaning the tank or replacing the heating elements, make sure the water in the tank is completely cool. What else you should know to drain and clean electric water heater?

1. Make sure the unit is completely turned off before doing the maintenance! It is basic knowledge for the safety, either important for yourself or to keep safe all components of the unit from damage due to electrocution.
2. Commonly, most of electric water heating units are installed with 220 V service. You have to trip the breaker switch of the center electrical panel of your home if your unit is installed with hard-wired! Then you may also need to unplug your unit if it plugs into the wall.
3. Like mentioned before, allow the hot water inside of the tank to cool down before draining. After turning off the power, you may need around 2 hours to make hot water be cool enough.
4. Then make sure there is no water intake again to the tank. So, set the water intake valve at turn-off position.
5. Take a look at the drainage valve and locate it at the bottom of the unit. Use a proper garden hose and then attach it to the valve & run the hose outside.
6. Find a pressure relief valve that usually located at the top of your tank. Then open it properly!
7. And now in order to release the water, take a look at the drain valve and then open it!
8. Now all water is completely drained from the tank! After the tank is empty, then open the intake valve and turn on the hot-water faucet to flush your tank! Wait until the water runs clear.
9. After seeing the clear running-water then shut off the intake valve and set the faucet into turn-off position! Remove also the hose and close also the drainage valve. Close again the pressure relief valve and plug again the unit into the wall properly. Now turn on your unit and check the performance of your unit. Make sure it works properly.
10. For more detailed information you can also find and read pieces of helpful information about this maintenance in the owner’s manual guidelines. And if the budget permits, it is much better to hire a qualified professional to do this maintenance for your unit properly and more satisfactorily (at least once a year).

Read also best gas garage heating units and how to reset your water heater electric?