Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romeroβs radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
Q: I have lived in my manufactured house in Tucson for six years and have never drained my water heater. What are the proper steps to take? Can I drain the water that comes out of the heater into the plants outside?
A: You should drain your water heater at least once a year, and if youβve never done that, you may not be able to do so because of the build-up of sediment in the tank. But in general, if you still want to try, first turn off the power or gas to the water heater and turn off the cold water supply of water into the heater.
Hook up a garden hose to the drain valve near the bottom of the tank and run the hose out to the yard. Open the drain valve. If the water does come out, you can drain it anywhere, provided the water is fairly cool; you donβt want to drain hot water on your lawn or plants. If nothing comes out when you open the drain, you can remove the hose and perhaps try to clean out the opening with a wire hanger or similar device. In that case the sediment may actually rush out suddenly onto the floor of your garage or closet. If, after all that, you succeed in getting the heater drained using the hose, you might try to run more water into the tank of the water heater so that you can drain it again and remove more sediment.
