How to drain the water tank. How to quickly and completely drain water from a water heater. What you should pay attention to

How to drain the water from the boiler and not cause trouble? You don't want to flood your neighbors or make a flood in your apartment, do you? I think no

In this article, we'll show you five ways to drain water from a water heater. Starting from the simplest to the most difficult. Recommended watch the video at the end of the article, in which everything is shown clearly.

Features of draining water from different boilers

There are several ways to drain the water from the boiler. Each of them has features, pros and cons. To find out which one is right for you, we advise you to consider all of them.

Regardless of which manufacturer your water heater is: Ariston, Termex, Eletkrolux or another, the procedure is the same. They all have almost the same design and differ only in design, quality of components and functions.

But each model has nuances that you need to know, namely:

The presence of a drain hole;
Arrangement of hot and cold water pipes;
Cover fixing method.

Is it possible to properly drain the water?

Any storage boilers must have a drain hole. It is usually closed with a plug. Pipes and hoses are not suitable for it. As a rule, it is marked with a color corresponding to the marking and is located at the bottom of the heater (see photo).

Draining through the safety valve

This is the simplest option (after the previous one). Most water heaters are equipped with a safety valve with a relief valve (see photo). To drain the water without unscrewing the pipes. Just lift the valve lever as shown in the photo.

If the boiler is not located above the bathtub, you can put a thin hose on the nozzle. A dropper tube will also work.

The location of the safety valve and the direction of its opening.

The disadvantage of this method is that the water will leave slowly. But if you do not want to spin the valve completely and disconnect the hoses, then this option is for you.

It so happens that the emergency valve of the boiler rusts. Dirt clogs into it. If you can't open it, try cleaning it, spray it with WD-40 rust converter and wait. If after that it is not possible to drain the water from the boiler - read on.

When the boiler is connected correctly

The safety valve is good, but slow. Therefore, many installers install an additional tee during installation (see photo). With its help, you can quickly, and most importantly, safely drain the liquid from the water heater.

A hose can be connected to the tee. To flush water directly into the sewer or outside. Any one will do, with a cross section of 1/2 or 3/4, depending on what the diameter of the outlet is. It is indicated on the tee itself.

We twist the pipes

If amateurs were installing your boiler, then they probably did not install either a safety valve or a tee. Therefore, to drain the water from it, you will have to arm yourself with a wrench. What should be done:

Shut off the cold water in the apartment;
Prepare a container of sufficient volume to drain the water;
Slowly unscrew the tap or hose through which hot water comes out of the boiler;
Remember. How many revolutions had to turn the tap to unscrew it.

If you do not have a container of sufficient volume, prepare a hose, a garden one will do. As soon as water begins to flow out of the storage water heater, immediately try to put it on the tap or pipe.

After you drain the water from the boiler, you need to reinstall the hose or faucet. To do this, wrap the thread with fum tape against the direction. Make two or three turns. Then screw it into the water heater the same number of turns as it took to unscrew it.

Read more about how to drain the boiler through the water inlet look in the video at the end of the article.

Getting rid of leftovers

It will not be possible to completely get rid of water by all the described methods. In the lower part of the water heater, in any case, there will be little. But sometimes it also needs to be drained. To do this, you will have to remove the heating element.

The heating element is installed at the bottom of the boiler. It is connected to a cover that is screwed to the body with one or more screws or bolts. Also, for fastening the heating element, latches or latches can be used. Sometimes they can be closed with rubber plugs.

Hot water supply in many apartments and private houses. The service life of such devices largely depends on tap water - if it is too hard, then scale will form on the walls of the internal tank and heating element. This can be avoided by periodically carrying out preventive maintenance, which consists in cleaning the inner surface of the boiler. Experienced professionals know how to quickly and efficiently drain the water from the device. But a person who is faced with a similar problem for the first time needs to first understand all the nuances of the process. How to drain water from a boiler will be discussed in this article.

Required tools

keys for 24 and 32 millimeters (cap or adjustable);
regular and Phillips screwdrivers;
hexagon (4 millimeters).

When should the water be drained?

When, in addition to cleaning the inner surface of the tank and the heating element, is it necessary to drain the water from the boiler? This question should be of interest primarily to those who use the water heater irregularly. In country houses, where the owners are only in the summer on weekends, the water must be drained in cases where the temperature can drop to 5 degrees Celsius during the idle time of the boiler. There is a possibility of the coolant freezing at this temperature and, as a consequence, rupture of the tank in the boiler.

Note! If the temperature does not drop below +5 degrees, then it is better not to touch the device at all, since manufacturers categorically do not recommend leaving water heaters without liquid for a long time. Otherwise, a number of processes may occur that worsen the condition of the storage tank.

Do not be afraid that the water in the tank will deteriorate. After a long "stagnation", you just need to pass it through the tap, and the next "batch" can already be used. By the way, the magnesium rod works effectively even when completely submerged in water, and it perfectly prevents the appearance of rust.

The overwhelming majority of manufacturers also do not recommend draining water often, because a tank without liquid corrodes much faster. Experienced people on this occasion said: a thing created to be in water must be in it.

Often, the drainage of water is motivated by an unpleasant odor that appears inside the device if the water has not been drained for a long time. In this case, you can resort to a little trick: if the pipeline water comes with impurities (such as, for example, hydrogen sulfide), then even short-term downtime the boiler should be dehydrated. You can drain water from it every time, and at the first filling, heat it as much as possible.

Video - How to get rid of the unpleasant smell of water in the boiler?

How to drain water from a boiler

A boiler is a container that operates at high pressure, therefore, it will not work to drain the water from it by opening the hot water tap and shutting off the cold water supply beforehand. This can be easily guessed if you consider. If you try to do this, you will only drain the water above the DHW (hot water supply) pipe, and not the fact that completely. It is necessary that air enters the tank - and this is done using the same DHW pipe. Let's see how this procedure will take place.

Step 1. To begin with, the boiler must be de-energized, that is, simply remove the plug from the outlet.

Step 3. Having previously substituted a basin or any other suitable container, you can start unscrewing the cold water pipes. By the way, the connecting pipes that connect the boiler to the water supply and consumption systems can be metal-plastic, just plastic and made of a flexible hose. Craftsmen advise to give preference to metal-plastic products, since they are more reliable, and at the same time look more attractive.

Step 4. The hose connection points are untwisted, it is released.

Step 5. The check valve is removed. If in the previous step a little water spilled out, now there will be more of it. This will indicate normal operation of the check valve.

Step 6. To proceed further, it is worth dealing with the internal structure of the boiler. So, inside the body there is a tank, which can be all-metal or welded with seams, made of stainless steel or with an enamel coating.

Two nozzles go inside the tank: through one of them cold water is supplied to the boiler, and through the other it (already hot) is supplied to an external consumer.

Also inside there are heating elements and a magnesium anode (the latter fights scale).

In addition, there are two temperature sensor tubes inside. All this goes to the control unit.

We need the air to enter the upper part and, entering there, give the water the opportunity to come out. Therefore, the more air there is, the more water will go away.

Step 7. The prepared hose is put on the cold water pipe (the basin can be removed). The other end of the hose can be directed into the toilet.

Step 8. After that, you can unscrew the hot water supply. Thanks to this, air will be supplied directly to the water heater tank.

Step 9. Air is provided, it is sucked in through the tube and the water is drained into the toilet.

Note! A small amount of water will still remain in the tank, so later, when you remove the heating element (if necessary), a little of it will fall on your hands. But this is not scary, since the main task - that is, draining the water from the boiler - is practically completed.

How to remove residual water from the water heater?

As noted above, after draining the water, some of it will still remain inside the tank. And to completely empty the tank, you will need to remove the heating element. To do this, you can follow the algorithm below:

remove the special casing, having previously disconnected all electrical components;
once again substitute a basin or any other container designed to collect dirty liquid and debris;
unscrew the heating element. You may have to make a lot of effort, since in the manufacture of boilers, heating elements are screwed very tightly. Then, after removing the heating element, the water will immediately start flowing into the basin.

Of course, it is better to take into account the possibility of the need to drain the water and make all connections collapsible. And if the water needs to be drained often, then it is advisable to install tees on the supply / drain of the device (tees should be with taps to drain the water).

Video - How to drain water from a water heater, boiler

Note! Due to the fact that the cold water supply pipe still has some height, water will still remain in the tank (out of 100 liters - no more than 10-15), even if it seems that all the liquid has already been drained. This must be taken into account if the boiler is not planned to be used in winter. To get rid of all the water, you need to unscrew the heating element and drain the water through the mounting hole.

When you DO NOT need to drain the water

The water from the boiler does not need to be drained if it is out of order during the warranty period... Contact the service center immediately - they should search for the cause and eliminate the malfunction. In most cases, boilers are repaired at home, like any other large equipment.

All procedures related to draining water from water heaters must begin by de-energizing. After all, it is primarily an electrical device that requires any manipulations in accordance with safety precautions.

When deciding whether to flush water or not, you need to focus on the individual characteristics of a particular model. Be sure to read the instructions, find out what the manufacturer says about this.
After disconnecting from the network, you need to wait for a while for the water to cool down. This way you will not burn yourself while working.
To prevent the water from smelling bad for a long period of time, run 100 liters of cold water through the heating tank about once every two to three months - this way you will clean the system. In addition, regularly connect the boiler to the mains power supply to heat the water. In principle, here you can use only one of the cleaning methods, so decide for yourself which of them is more appropriate in your case..

And the last (but not least!) Advice: before each switching on of the device, be sure to check whether the heating tank is full.

Tubes that go into the tank

We will not discuss the questions - why to drain the water heater, when and why. There can be many reasons. Let's just try to figure out how to drain the water quickly and painlessly with different types of water heater connection to the water supply.
ATTENTION! Before draining your water heater, be sure to disconnect it from the power supply.

Standard connection type

The procedure for draining water is as follows:

We turn off the inlet tap of the cold water supply (2).
Through the nearest mixer (7) we drain off the remaining hot water in the pipes.
Without closing the tap (5) on the mixer, open the tap (4) and drain the water through it.
After draining the water, close the shut-off valve (8).

Another standard connection type

The cut-off valve (8) in the upper diagram is used to prevent water from entering the boiler when mixed through the mixer. You don't have to put it, as shown in the bottom photo.

But, then you need to be prepared for the following:
- Let's say your boiler is hanging in the bathroom or toilet. Drain and disassemble it, let's say for cleaning. At this moment, one of your household members decided to wash the cup in the kitchen. Out of habit, he opens the kitchen tap and water through the mixer begins to flow into the open pipe for hot water. A little flood comes. Basically, this connection scheme is quite workable. You just have to be very careful.
By the way, pay attention. To drain the water, a metal-plastic pipe is pre-installed in the wall, connected to the sewer.
And further. For those who paid attention. Installing a check valve instead of a safety valve is prohibited. Read more about this in the article "Boiler safety valve".

Simplified connection type

This type of connection is mainly used by service providers working in stores. The water heater is connected in a couple of hours. The connection cost is low. The water heats up, the customer is satisfied.

Problems begin later, with routine cleaning or repairs.

To drain the water, you must:
Turn off the water tap.
Drain off the remaining hot water through the mixer.
Open the box on the safety valve and drain the water. And it will merge for a long time.

Now about the problems. Knowing how the boiler is arranged inside, we understand that air must flow into the boiler to drain the water. Air from an open mixer will most likely not get into the boiler. Therefore, you will have to empty the hot water pipe. Well, or blow into the mixer, as advised on some sites.
The next problem is the safety valve without a flag.

If your water heater has such a valve, you will have to suffer. I do not recommend twisting the valve off the boiler. The best option is to depress the valve spring (indicated by the red arrow).

If you use a storage boiler, you should know the features of its maintenance. You may need information on how to drain the water from the water heater when repairing or cleaning the tank. The draining process depends on the type of connection. We will tell you how to do the work yourself, without calling the wizard.

Do I need to drain

It is simply necessary in such cases:

The boiler is located in the country or in another unheated room... It will not work for the whole season, so it is recommended to drain the water for the winter. In sub-zero temperatures, ice will form, leading to breakage.
Tank cleaning... There are several reasons, the main one is scale. Due to the hardness of the water during heating, heavy impurities settle on the surface in the form of a deposit. Over time, it turns to stone and interferes with the normal heat transfer of the heating element. Electricity consumption increases by 25-50%, and sufficient heating does not occur. The development of bacteria also indicates the need to drain the water from the water heater.
Replacing the magnesium anode... Any work is carried out only when the housing is empty. ... Magnesium attracts impurities to itself, preventing them from settling on the walls and leading to corrosion. They corrode the base, not the material of the device.

Should the tank be drained? You will be prompted by the following signs:

Noise during operation... Also, RCDs can often work - this indicates an abundance of scale inside. The pieces fall to the bottom and generate noise when heated. , read in a separate article.
Flow. The reason is in connections, worn out elements, corrosion of the body. Then you need to urgently carry out repair work.
Weak pressure... Probably the passages are clogged with scale. Cleaning is in progress.
The appliance does not heat the water or heating has to wait a very long time.
Safety valve passes a lot of water or remains dry.

When it is impossible to drain:

You will not use the equipment for the season and want to turn it off. It is worth starting from the temperature indicators. If the mark does not fall below +5 degrees, then some water can be left. Experts have proven that in the complete absence of liquid, the body corrodes faster under the influence of oxygen.
With a short shutdown of the device.
With warranty obligations. Otherwise, they will become invalid.
For the sake of experiment.

How to properly flush water

Features of the drain depend not so much on the brand of equipment (Gorenje, Electrolux, Atlantik), but on the type of connection. Consider how to work on popular boilers.

Important! Disconnect the boiler from the mains before starting.

Water heater "Termeks"

You will need a gas wrench, drain hose.

Progress:

Shut off the cold stream with the key (2).
To avoid vacuum, open the hot tap on the mixer (7).
Let the water drain to the mark. This will happen within 2 minutes.
Once the liquid is gone, do not close the mixer (5). Open the tap and drain the water (4) or unscrew the nuts at the cold stream inlet.
Connect a rubber hose to the heater thread. Dip the other end into a sink or deep container.
To drain the residues, disconnect the hot water outlet from the body.
After dismantling the nut, the contents will finally drain out of the system.

The method is suitable for small appliances with a maximum capacity of 20 liters. Watch a video on how to do the work yourself:

Technique "Ariston"

Prepare tools for work: open-end wrench for 32 and 24 mm, slotted screwdriver, hexagon 4 mm.

Close the water.
Open the hot run on the mixer, this will reduce the pressure.
To allow air to enter the body, open the tap at the hot flow point.
Connect the hose and open the drain cock.
It is necessary to pour out all the liquid from the boiler.

This method is suitable for 50 and 80 liter boilers.

Through the safety valve

We talked about it in a separate article. The part is used to relieve excess pressure and to drain fluid. A similar type of boiler connection is made after the purchase of a store master. The service is inexpensive, but when you need to drain, the user will face problems.

What should be done:

Shut off the water.
Open the mixer and drain off the remaining liquid.
Turn the lever on the drain valve, wait until the contents are completely drained.

You will have to wait a very long time, especially if you have a 100 liter boiler. If you have a valve without a lever, then you will have to mechanically remove the water.

It is impossible to dismantle the part, so you can independently depress the spring, as shown in the picture:

When do you need to drain the water?

We carry out this procedure in two cases.

Leaving the water heater in a cold house for the winter. In winter, the remaining water freezes, causing the tank to burst. It is important to remember that after the boiler has been drained, the inside of the tank may corrode. This is due to the negative effect of water on the metal inside: after emptying, the tank begins to slowly rust under the influence of oxygen.
In case of failure of the water heater. Obviously, before starting the repair, you need to drain the tank. If the water heater is still under warranty, then you should call the service center wizard. He will diagnose and repair on site.

We drain the water correctly

All information on how to properly drain Ariston is contained in the instructions, but, as a rule, at the time of the drain procedure, the owners of the device have time to throw it away.

In this case, here is a detailed step-by-step guide:

for a start - disconnect the water heater from the mains;
after that, we shut off the water with a valve on the cold water supply pipe;
now let the tank cool down.

In order to more clearly understand the further draining procedure, let us take a closer look at how the water heater is connected to the water supply.

If the installation was carried out by a specialist, then he must have placed two additional devices on the inlet and outlet pipes of the water heater. A drain valve is placed on the cold water pipe after the shut-off valve. Through this tap, water is drained from the water heater. An air intake valve is located on the pipe leaving Ariston (through which hot water flows). These two elements are very important.

Now let's get back to the drain procedure.

We open the mixer, which is supplied with hot water from the water heater. By this action, we reduce the pressure inside the tank. Remember that water can leak slightly from the tap as long as the pressure inside is higher (you need to wait until it equals the external pressure and stops flowing).
We open the air intake valve. The empty space inside the tank will begin to fill with air.
The last one to open the drain valve. Usually a small hose is attached to it, through which water is diverted to the nearest drain or container.

When the procedure is completed, there is still moisture in the tank, fine particles of sand and rust (sediment). It will not be possible to completely remove this through the drain valve.

Such sediment can not only reduce the volume of the tank and shorten the heating time, but also lead to breakdowns.

How to remove sediment?

Consider the signs that indicate it's time to clean:

the water heating time has increased significantly;
the pressure has changed (the head has become less);
the boiler began to make unnecessary sounds, a noise appeared;
water started dripping from the safety valve (or stopped flowing altogether);
the time has come for routine cleaning for prophylactic purposes.

Also, when changing the heating element or magnesium anode, the device will have to be freed from the contents and cleaned.

Despite the fact that the process of removing sediment in the tank is not difficult, we still advise not to carry out it yourself.

If you nevertheless decide to perform the procedure yourself, follow our advice. It is best to lay Ariston on the floor for cleaning.

Remove the top tank casing. We disconnect the electrical wires.
We begin to unscrew the heating element with a gas wrench. We recommend placing the container under the hole. As soon as you start unscrewing the union nut, water and sediment will flow out from under it. This can easily ruin the floors.
Remove the heating element completely. Clean the hole in its place. To speed up the process, you can slightly open the shut-off valve. Then collect the water heater. When you install the heating element in place, it is very important to check the tightness of the connection.

Conclusion

Important: if the contents in the tank have been in the tank for a long time and an unpleasant odor has appeared, then you can simply open the tap and let the stagnant water drain off. After that, the boiler warms up (to the maximum temperature) in order to destroy the unfavorable microflora. The procedure is repeated three to four times.

Draining water from a water heater is a simple process, however, it requires careful follow-up of instructions. Quite often, when self-locating, buyers deliberately do not install drain and air intake taps, and also make changes to the connection diagram. This not only creates problems when draining, but also leads to premature failure of the boiler. That is why it is recommended to follow the instructions exactly.

For information on how to drain water from an Ariston water heater correctly, see the next video.