- 1). Shut off the gas supply to the hot water heater at the gas control box located at the base of the water heater.
- 2). Open the hot water faucet on the bathtub and allow the heater's water to cool down. You do not want to drain the hot water tank with the scalding hot water. Allow the water to run until it is warm or cool to the touch.
- 3). Close the faucet on the bathtub and shut off the cold water supply to the hot water heater. Attach the garden hose to the drain connection on the base of the hot water heater. Run the garden hose to the outside of the home or to a floor drain. Make sure the hose remains below the drain level of the hot water heater.
- 4). Open the drain valve and be sure to open the valve fully to back seat the valve. Back seating of the valve will cause the valve to be fully opened and seal the valve from any leaks.
- 5). Turn the hot water faucets of all the fixtures in your home to the full open position. This will allow the hot water piping to drain completely and any air locks in the pipe will be eliminated. Allow the hot water tank to completely drain.
- 6). Open the cold water feed to the hot water heater and allow some cold water to fill into the tank. This will flush out the garden hose and the bottom of the hot water tank. Close the drain valve and allow the tank to fill. As water begins to flow from the other fixtures, close them one by one.
- 7). Remove the garden hose and check for leaks around the drain valve. Once the tank is completely full, relight the gas hot water heater according to the manufacturers instructions located on the gas control box.
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