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Howlong does it take to drain a 40gal water heater?

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JTsyo

JTsyo

Lifer
Had the water heater leak in the morning. I cleaned it up and put a bucket at the release valve. Most of the water was out. An hour later I checked up on it and the water had filled most of the bucket. After replacing the bucket, there was no real flow. When I checked back a few hours the bucket was overflown and water on the floor again arrg. Now I cleaning it up again but when do I know it's done draining?

Also can you dump water into a washing machine to drain it? I'm getting tired carrying buckets of water upstairs.
 
Another question. Ihave a hole for a sump pump in the basement but no pump. WOuld it be ok to drain the water into that space? Would 40 gals, if the heater was full, cause water int he rest of the basement?
 
I think you forgot this step:
Turn on a hot water faucet in your home (this will make sure a vacuum doesn't form in the lines).

Probably not a good idea to put it in the sump pit. No drain in the basement?
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JTsyo said:
When I checked back a few hours the bucket was overflown and water on the floor again arrg. Now I cleaning it up again but when do I know it's done draining?
Click to expand...

What probably happened is someone turned on a faucet and the water remaining in the hot water line throughout the house drained back into the hot water heater which caused the overflow.
 
amdskip said:
I think you forgot this step:
Turn on a hot water faucet in your home (this will make sure a vacuum doesn't form in the lines).

Probably not a good idea to put it in the sump pit. No drain in the basement?
​
Click to expand...

that might be what happened. The water stayed in due to the pressure and then whenever we turned on the hot water by accident, it flowed fast.
 
PottedMeat said:
heh you closed the cold water valve right?

can you connect a garden hose to the drain and stick it out the window?
Click to expand...
Close the cold water valve, open the drain valve at the bottom (with garden hose to floor drain), open the P&T valve at top of tank, and/or sink/lav/tub hot water valve. It should take 30~45 minutes for a complete drain.

Shouldn't drain water into the sump pit with out a pump. Put a bucket in the sump and drain into that instead, if you don't have floor drain or can't run the hose outside.
 
been chucking it in the wash machine, the spin cycle works. Think it's almost done the flow is very low. Just need to clean the floor now. Thanks for the help guys. The joys of being a first time home owner. Should should have checked the web first to see the part of opening a faucet.
 
All done and heading to bed. I have to give a shout out to my Hoover SteamVac. It picked up 8-9 buckets of water in less than 45mins and that's including time spend dumping the water outside. Would have taken forever with a mop and bucket. Only used it once to do the kitchen tiles but this day made it worthwhile.
 
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