How do you drain a water heater?

Connect a hose to the spigot at the bottom of the water heater and drain out a few gallons. If the water heater has not been drained for a long time the sediment has probably bound together from the minerals that are naturally occurring in the water and you probably won't get much out.If the water heater is making a gurgling sound while the burner is on you will get to buy a water heater soon. That's one of the indications that the sediment has really stuck together and given you a thick layer of sand and silt on the bottom of the tank. When that happens, the metal of the tank gets too hot since the water isn't close by to absorb the heat, then the tank starts to rust and leak.

Answershut off the cold water coming in. hook a hose up to the boiler drain at the bottom of the water heater. open it and let all the water drain out. once the water stops draining turn the water on for a couple minutes. shut the boiler drain off and turn the water back on.