My Water Heater Won't Drain [Fix It With 3 Easy Steps] 

I had the same plugged drain valve on my 11 year old 649DORT Reliance 40-Gallon Electric Water Heater. Mostly caused by the complete degradation and totally corrosion of the entire 29" Inches OEM Anode Rod, as it was impossible for me to drain the water tank that was equipped with a plastic drain spout, but I could not introduce a screwdriver on the opening, as the outlet connection to hook up the water drain hose, was at a 90 degrees from the straight pipe coming out of the heater tank. Thus the method to unplug it I use was by using my air compressor with an air hose an air blow gun that I inserted on the end of the drain spout, using about 90psi of air pressure I also I opened the hot water safety relief valve and as I was blowing air into the tank I could hear a weak air hissing sound into the tank that eventually sound like and explosion that pushed out the debris plugging the drain spout and soon after water was draining out the spout and was able to completely drain the entire tank, then I open the cold water and continually rinsing the tank while the water was coming out in a milky color with small particles of the corroded aluminum material and other mineral salts? until the water was clear of debris and clean... I then installed a new Aluminum Anode Rod.. I try to remove the plastic drain spout, to replace it with a metal one that had a larger draining orifice, but the plastic one was too tight and I was afraid that it could break apart if I forced it out, and then I would have even a worst case scenario there, so I leave it like that.

I was stuck on this. Thankyou for uploading!

Thank you This really helped me a lot because my water would not drain out of the tank Thank you so much for making this video ❤❤❤

Best video I've seen on this process yet.. Only one that solves the "I waited too long"

Your tips and points answered all my questions about why and what to do about my slow draining tank. God bless you and all who take the time to put together videos and the like to help others out.

Very useful tips and recommendations. Thank you.

I've done a lot of water heaters in my life but I learned new tricks everyday and I thank you for being thorough and very explanatory dig your video keep it up I just subscribed thanks again and blessings

I was having problems with draining and I’m glad I found this video. Unfortunately I had a lot of sediment so I had to do the last option and that did the job. I may have missed a step on creating a vacuum so I did splash myself a bit. Thank you

Thank you! My water heater wouldn't drain, so I used your first suggestion of opening the cold water valve while everything was hooked up & bam! It went right out.

Man, thanks so much for the video. My tank was definitely jammed up with sediment. I wouldn’t have thought to try to flush it out using the pressure. Thanks again!!

Thanks! None of the other videos I watched mention “airlock,” which of course is the problem I had. Very helpful!

I made a Hot water heater drain valve per your description. I could not prevent the hose from leaking! I found by watching another DYI RU-vid video that you need to have a garden hose adapter for the part that the hose attaches to. It is a 3/4 inch MHT X 3/4 inch MIP which is actually called a garden hose adapter.

Great video with clear and concise instruction. Reduced drain time immensely and no video prior mentioned releasing the pressure at the valve. Kudos to you! Had to replace the elements and now fingers are crossed for hot water!

So incredibly helpful. Thank you!

Worked like a charm, thanks from Texas.

Awesome tips... Thanks sooo much! Never knew water heaters needed to be drained... that 3/4" drain will help bunches... the peeps are Home Depot were blown away by what I was doing lol!!!

Thanks for this video totally helped with draining my old hot water heater👍🏻

Thank you so much! My water heater seemed to be working fine but only light warm water was coming out. I watched someone else’s video on how to drain my water heater and it was a no go! But your video worked like magic for step 2 for me. Thank you again!

Excellent info! I had exactly this problem -- sediment had chocked the drain valve. I had no idea what to do until I saw this video. Keep the pressure on (water inlet open) to push out the sediment through the drain valve. Worked -- thanks!

Great video. And I could listen to your voice all day!

So glad I found this video. Still sprayed myself but I don’t even care. Had a wall of sediment in there. AZ ground water is lousy with minerals. Thank you so much.

That was one hell of a good learning.thank you.

Thank you for taking the time to post this excellent instruction video.

You answered 6 of my 5 questions, thanks so much.

Thanks so much for this video. I made a custom drain valve per your instructions and it worked! Before that, a local tech tried a shop vac on the old drain. Didn't work. then I ordered a fitting that allows you to blow compressed air into the tank. No good, sent it back. This will save me $$$ when it's time to replace my tank.

This was just what I needed - thanks alot. Worked like a champ.😀

Good, really good video. I was ready to put a tap in like a maple tree. My Bradford White has a pressure valve on the side, so instead of taking off the one of the supply lines, I opened up the pressure valve and voila, water started flowing. Thanks so much for your help.

The first step got mine draining, thank you!!!

Excellent video. Thank you. I had to open the supply line . Worked like a charm.

Old plumber's trick if you have an air compressor... Shut off hot and cold water pipes attached to water heater. make an adapter with a 3/4" male adapter to fit into relief valve opening and have a schrader valve (think bicycle tire valve) connector on the other side. Use an air chuck hooked up to your air compressor to force air into your water heater tank and water out the bottom. If you have a lot of scale build up in the bottom of the tank, this pressurized approach will force it out the faucet on the bottom of the tank. Also drains it a lot faster than gravity feed. If you have an electric water heater and the sediment is real bad you can remove the bottom element and finagle a scrapper out of S-cleat to draw the sediment to the opening.

Thank you for this! Just used your vid to troubleshoot & successfully drain water heater! :)

Thank you for this video. I couldn’t figure out why my tank wasn’t draining.

Thank you! Your advice worked. We had to open a faucet on the floor above the water heater.

From Texas ! Great Video ! Thank yall so much , very informative !

Watching from Nigeria…. This is really helpful and expository

Great tips! The ball valve solved my problem!

Thank you for a great video, very professional and helpful.

Your detail for the homemade drain valve saved the weekend; thank you for sharing! After removing the OEM valve I saw that it was plugged and discovered why none of the other tricks would work. Now, when I need to replace the water heater I'll install one of these valves during installation.

Thank you for the tips. Lot of good info!

I have a water heater that started leaking and would not drain. I just watched your video, tried #2 and replaced the cheesy OEM valve and it worked like a charm. Thanks!

Great video. I found that a short 3/4" close nipple for the garden hose side will not extend as far out from the water heater as a 2" nipple would and it works just as well.

This video was incredibly helpful. Thanks!

That fixed it. Now it is draining. Thank you.

It's draining now!! Followed your 1rst step using pressure from the incoming water valve. Did that over and over. Probably 5 or 6 times. Along with opening a hot water facet. And then the magic happend! Draining as I type. Thank you so much!!

4:12 that lever is the pressure relief valve. All you had to do was open it. I just did mine and I was not understanding why it wouldn't drain but you helped me understand why. Thanks.

Great video! I live in the country and I do not use anode rods. Our hot water and the anode rode combined make for an eggy smell. No rod, no smell BUT as per the video, nothing for the minerals to attack. My absolute favourite part of the video is the tip on replacing the outlet valve with a 3/4" ball valve. Brilliant! Open and flush. Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for your help , I really appreciate it .

Thank you, really helpful.

Really helpful, thank you so much. One thing I will mention is that if you just need to do this one time to drain an old water heater all you really need is the 3/4" 2" inch brass nipple. The whole ball valve setup really isn't necessary for one time or occasional use.

Thank you! Very successful on the tips! You saved me 530$

This saved my butt! Thank you!

Exactly what I was looking for!! Watched I don't know how many videos now and they all say to turn the gas to pilot or off, turn off the cold water or if none exist turn off the whole water supply. Then turn on a faucet with hot until the water stops coming out. Did all of that and still the only way water would drain out is if I turned the water supply or cold back on. Air locked!! Makes since but I never would have figured it out without your help. Thanks so much!!!

I tried three different ways to unclog a hot water tank and they all failed, until I found this video that showed how to increase the air pressure pushing down on the water in the tank and bingo, the drain started to run and the tank emptied! Great video!

The coupling on top worked. Thanks did the clear explanation.

Good video that helped me. I have a Rheem unit and that dreaded plastic drain valve. Fortunately I was able to wrench it off and install the Ball drain as you recommended. The Plastic drain valve I had was defective because once I replaced it, draining was normal. Inspecting it showed what looks like a black o-ring inside and I suspect that is foreign and may have been a problem from the start since this is the first time I did maintenance on it. I also replaced the anode rod which was completely disintegrated. Nothing but the screw came up. Again thanks for the info. I saved $1,000 from adding life to the one I have!!!!

So helpful! Thank you so much.

Best video I have seen on this. Thanks!!!

This was a great help. Thank you.

The MOST informative video. Thank you!

Thank you great information.

Awesome video, thanks! I followed all of your instructions on pulling a vacuum on the tank and it worked like a champ. I had the new valve ready to install and I probably didn't lose any more than one cup of (nasty) water from the hot water heater. It was taking about 2-3 hours to drain my hot water heater. With the new 3/4" gate valve, it takes about 15 minutes. Thanks again for the advice.

Great video! Thanks!

Had to use a different method today on a hot water heater with a plastic drain that wouldn’t drain at all to much settlement inside had to use the gallo gun on it it did the trick!!

I thought there was a vacuum keeping my water heater from draining, and your advise was helped me solve the problem. Thanks for such a well-made video! And BTW, I had a plastic Rheem drain valve and I replaced it with a brass one with no problems, so at least in my case, I wasn't screwed.

Thank you! I also found the pressure relief valve creating a vacuum that was slowing the draining of the tank. Opened it up and boom, success

Thank you for helping diagnose my first water heater replacement drainage problems!

Hey thanks for taking the time to make this video. You were very thorough and helped me with my issue. If I lived in your area I would use your service. God bless you

Great information and video. Mine would not drain...hours and just a dribble. I changed out the valve and bingo, done in a flash. Got some orange water for a while but drained the tank again and ran more through the pipes and it's clearing up. Thanks.

Worked great, thank you

Thank you, this helped.

Good job man 👍👍🤛

This is a great idea, however, on my tank, I tried a 4th method. I shut off the cold side, opened a hot water valve on a sink and connected a hose to the garden water and the drain using a double female garden hose connector. I opened the garden water and back flushed the water heater drain. That opened it right up. It flushed and drains perfectly now.

Nice job! thank you

Thank you sir for your video. It really helped me to flush my water heater.

Airlock was my problem.. thank you Soo much!

Thanks very useful tips and ticks

This really works. If you are unsure of he fittings talk to someone at HD or wherever you get your supplies to help. This is especially true for that little bit that connects the valve to the hose, it's kinda hard to find. My old plug would only drain at about a half gallon an hour. With the 3/8" straight shot, the whole thing emptied in about an hour! The old drain plug's hole pinched down to less than 1/8th inch and was totally clogged. Can't imagine this one will ever clog, but if it does, It will be a snap to ream out since there is no bend. You should have a large crescent wrench and a pipe wrench to make this. Don't forget the Teflon tape! The brass parts aren't cheap (ran me about $35.00) but worth it. This is a great hack!

Replaced my first water heater today, with the help of my dad (his 4th or 5th) and encountered a drain valve that wouldn't drain. Not a great start. I found this video and decided to do the replacement valve method. Granted, I must have messed up the negative pressure part as I got hosed by water, but I got the new valve in regardless. Though it was evident based on the chunks of calcium on my jeans and the towels I laid down, the inside of the old valve told the story, completely packed with calcium. Anyhow, thanks for the tip, it worked perfectly.

Awesome video dude thank you very much! I now sound way smarter than I am.

Saved our bacon, you did. Have a Rheem, with the plastic valve, that needed to be replaced. We managed to replace the valve with only about a 1/2 gallon of water on the floor. Our new Rheem has a copper valve but we are replacing all our water heater valves with your concoction. You failed to mention that Home Depot charges about $50 for the parts. Money well spent. Thanks and well done. Nice demo on the teflon tape, too.

Great video. All i needed to do was turn water valve on to pressurize tank and push sediment out. Thank you.

Thank you so much I learned alot

Super helpful!

I plan to try this tomorrow, thanks for the video.

Very helpful!

You nail it , there was no air letting in remove the hose problem solve thank you

Thanks for the tip. My 12 year old water heater was plugged right as a tick. Following your instructions, changed to a 3/4 ball valve and it drained perfectly. Changed elements and thermostats and flushed till clean!!

After watching several other videos this video was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for clear, concise and useful information, my water lock was not as locked as I had hoped for but regardless of the small flooding the operation was a success!!

It work thank you

Thank you so much!

thank you that worked!

Thanks for the info.

Well done video

Decent and helpful video, except one claim. If a tank has a Plastic Drain Valve and it breaks while attempting to remove a simple procedure to get the remaining piece out is use a Hacksaw Blade to weaken the plastic. **Use care to avoid Cutting into the Metal threads on the tank. Use a flat screw driver and Needle Nose pliers to pry out the sections of plastic. Install the new drain valve. *** For Calcium Sediment issues - keep the Thermostats at or below 120. Check the Anode Rod as part of an annual service and replace as necessary.

very helpful thanks

Thanks for your video. Very helpful info. I have plastic valve and cannot get water heater to drain. I am sure sediment is built up inside. Water heater is 30 gal GE about 6-7 yrs old never previously drained. While I could probably change the valve, don't think I want to tackle it alone. If I call plumber, I will replace the heater.

Always pays to go to the one who knows! Brilliant! You saved me so much headache! Thank you!

Awesome thank you!!

Thank you sir

I replaced the plastic water valve on my Rheem 50 gal electric water hear with a quality brass one. Came out ez pz. I installed the same one you used in this video.