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kim sharpe · Sep 11, 2012, 07:49 AM

I need to replace the heating element. I shut off the breaker to the pump and to the water heater and opened the hot tap in the tub until it ran dry - no more water coming out but when I started to remove the heating element, water started pouring out.

I know I can attach a hose to the drain spout and any water left in the tank will drain, but why is there still water in the tank? My husband - back in the city - said I wouldn't need to use the drain spout @ the bottom of the tank if I turned off the pump and ran the hot water tap until it ran out.

What did I miss?

Thanks
Kim

speedball1 · Sep 11, 2012, 08:45 AM

Hi Km and welcome to The Plumbing Page at AskMeHelpDesk.com

my husband - back in the city - said I wouldn't need to use the drain spout @ the bottom of the tank if I turned off the pump and ran the hot water tap until it ran out. What did I miss?

You missed the part where hubby gave you real bad advice. Hubby set you up to get drenched.

I shut off the breaker to the pump and to the water heater and opened the hot tap in the tub until it ran dry - no more water coming out but when I started to remove the heating element, water started pouring out.

No wonder you got wet! You failed to drain the heater before you opened up the element. All you did was to relieve the pressure.
Here's how to drain a heater. Turn off the power, close the cold water supply valve and open up a hot water faucet. Now attach a hose on the boiler drain and drain the heater. When the water stops the heater's drained. Good luck,. Tom

kim sharpe · Sep 11, 2012, 09:25 AM

Thanks Tom for your vey prompt reply.

I thought that by running the hot water tap until there was no more water coming out would drain out all of the water from the tank.

My husband now says that he told me to open both the hot and cold water taps to drain the tank. He said when he was here on Labour Day weekend that he told me about the drain valve at the bottom of the tank but that I wouldn't have to use it if I opened the cold water tap as well as the hot water tap until no more water came out either that the tank would drain completely which doesn't make any sense to me. Would the tank have drained completely if I'd opened the cold water tank until it ran dry as well as opening the hot water tap?

Thanks for your help
Kim

speedball1 · Sep 11, 2012, 09:47 AM

I thought that by running the hot water tap until there was no more water coming out would drain out all of the water from the tank.

No! All you did was relieve the pressure. Not drain the tank.

my husband now says that he told me to open both the hot and cold water taps to drain the tank. He said when he was here on Labour Day weekend that he told me about the drain valve at the bottom of the tank but that I wouldn't have to use it if I opened the cold water tap as well as the hot water tap until no more water came out either that the tank would drain completely which doesn't make any sense to me.

More BAD plumbing advice from hubby. Let's you and I do this. Cut hubby out of dab loop. He's not helping with the problem but becoming part of it.
You tell me what you've done so far and I'll walk you through replacing the element. Which element is it>
Shhhh! Don't tell hubby. He will just come back with more advice. Back to you. Tom