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Water Heater Drain Valve Replacement

  
  
  

water heater drainSometimes your water heater is just looking for a little attention. After you drain your water heater, there are times that the drain valve won't shut off, or maybe it just decides to start leaking all on its own. Either way, it means you get to perform a little service work.

The valve to drain the tank is located at the front of the water heater near the bottom of the tank. Some people call it a drain valve, hose bib, hose faucet, drain cock, etc. They all are a means to drain the tank.

These valves are all usually plastic and are fairly easy to install. You must turn off the water entering the tank. You can do this by the shut-off valve at the top of the tank, or you can turn off the water to the house. It's not necessary to drain the tank to do this repair, but when you open the drain valve you will get a few cups of water that spill out. Think about this: if you have a straw in a glass of water and you put your finger over the end of the straw and pull it out of the glass, the water stays in the straw right? Well it's the same for your water heater, as long as nobody in the house opens a hot water faucet you will be fine. However, if someone does open a faucet and allows air into the hot water line, you will get plenty of hot water running out of the drain valve...just like if you remove your finger off of the straw.

Replacing the valve is a matter of unscrewing the old one off and twisting a new valve back on. Just wrap the new valve's threads with several wraps of Teflon tape to seal out any leaks.

Comments

Who do you have handling your heating services and repairs?
Posted @ Sunday, May 15, 2011 9:57 PM by Heating and Air Durham
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