Why Won’t My Water Heater Drain (And How to Fix It)

Without a water heater, there’s no way you could take a nice hot shower or effectively clean your dishes, so when your water heater has trouble, this can be very concerning. Water heater replacements can be pricey, so you want to explore all of your options before you consider replacing the device. Fortunately, there are many easy ways that you can fix your water heater when it doesn’t drain. Let’s talk about everything you need to know about why your water heater won’t drain and how you can fix it. We will go through the most common problems and the quickest resolutions for those situations.

Water Heater Won’t Drain Because of a Clogged Valve

The most common reason why a water heater won’t drain is that the valve is clogged. However, you can use pressure from your plumbing system to clear this clogged valve so that your water heater operates regularly again. Follow the steps below to drain your water heater clogged by using your water pressure and no outside instruments.

1. Select any faucet or bathtub in your house and turn the water on.
2. Open the drain valve to your water heater and let the water transfer for 15 seconds.
3. Close the drain valve.
4. Turn off the water to the faucet that you used.

This process should clear your clog if it’s just regular sediment. However, if this process doesn’t clear your water heater, you might have a bigger problem.

Use Patience to Unclog Water Heater Valve

Because your water heater holds so much water, you might be able to let it sit for 24 hours and have the water pressure clear the clog on its own. However, any water heater will hold at least 20 gallons of water, if not more, which is plenty to clear out clogs when left alone. So, don’t drain your water on your own until you’ve waited at least 24 hours for the clog to clear on its own. Otherwise, you could put much more labor into getting the same result.

Final Thoughts

The best way to get your water heater working again? Hire us! Contact us at (520) 214-2149 today, and we will have a professional examine your water heater and treat the issue right the first time. One of the most troublesome parts about treating any plumbing issue on your own is that you might not treat the right issue, which could create more damage. In addition, water heaters are extremely expensive to repair, so it would be best to have a professional look at them before you work on them yourself.

However, most of the time, you won’t have to worry about treating the issue for regular sediment buildup. More often than not, water heaters can clear their clogs because of the heavy water pressure inside these devices.

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