I'm currently putting a bathroom in my basement. I'm ready to tie into my existing water lines. I need to know if I need to shut off and empty my water heat in order to drain the water out of the lines. The water heater is in the basement and would be lower than any faucet. I would prefer not to empty it but if I need to so be it. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by dsimms

I'm currently putting a bathroom in my basement. I'm ready to tie into my existing water lines. I need to know if I need to shut off and empty my water heat in order to drain the water out of the lines. The water heater is in the basement and would be lower than any faucet. I would prefer not to empty it but if I need to so be it. Thanks.

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Shut off the house and open hot and cold faucets upstairs at the highest level to break vacume. Shut the heater off at the breaker box and drain it into the floor drain. Get ALL THE MOISTURE out of the pipes where you're soldering or it will turn to steam and escape through the joint you're soldering and give you pinhole leaks. You don't have to drain the entire heater, just get the water level below the joints you're soldering. Good luck, Tom

Tom thanks for all your help and sage advice. I've completed the piping for my basement bathroom. NO leaks runs or errors ! My soldering skills improved dramaticly after I did it the way you said to do it and draining the lines was easier than I thought it would be. I'm sure I'll post again as I install my fixtures. Thanks again!! Dave