Bleeding a water heater is a crucial operation to guarantee its optimum performance and extend its service life. Here’s how to empty a water heater properly:

1. Switch off electricity or fuel: Before carrying out any work, it is essential to switch off the power supply (electricity or fuel) to the water heater, to prevent any risk during the purging operation.
2. Wait for it to cool down: If the water heater has been in use for a short time before purging, wait until it reaches a low temperature before starting the operation. Contact with overheated water can cause severe skin lesions.
3. Interrupt the cold water supply: Close the cold water shut-off valve near the water heater to prevent the water heater from filling up while it is being vented.
4. Activate hot water distribution: Activate hot water distribution to encourage air to enter the circuit and prevent the creation of a vacuum.
5. Installing a drain pipe: Locate the drain valve, usually on the bottom of the water heater. Connect a sprinkler pipe to channel the water to a suitable area for drainage.
6. Activate the drain valve and safety valve: Once the pipe is in place, activate the drain valve and safety valve (if your water heater has one) to release the water.
7. Be patient when draining the water heater: Allow the water to drain completely from the appliance. The time required will depend on the capacity of the latter and the volume of water to be evacuated.
8. Close valves: When the water heater is completely drained, close the drain valve and the safety valve, if any.
9. Reactivate the cold water supply: Restore the cold water supply by opening the cold water shut-off valve.
10. Clean and repeat (optional): For more thorough maintenance, you can repeat the purging procedure one or more times to thoroughly clean the water heater.

By taking this approach, you’ll be able to properly purge your water heater and preserve its efficiency. We recommend that you follow the operating instructions specific to your model of water heater for precise instructions and specific safety measures.