Draining your pipes involves a systematic process to remove water from your plumbing system. This is often necessary for tasks like winterizing your home to prevent frozen pipes, undertaking plumbing repairs, or performing maintenance.
According to available information, the process typically involves several key steps to ensure all water is effectively removed from the lines.
Steps to Drain Your Pipes
To drain your pipes, follow this sequence of actions, as referenced:
- Shut Off the Water Main.
- Unlock all the Indoor and Outdoor Faucets.
- Flush Your Toilets.
- Empty the Water Lines to Your Water Based Appliances.
- Empty Your Water Heater Tank.
- Force Compressed Air Through the Pipes.
Let's look at each step in more detail.
1. Shut Off the Water Main
The essential first step is to stop the flow of water into your home's plumbing system. Locate your main water shut-off valve (usually near where the water line enters your house or by the water meter) and turn it off. This prevents any new water from entering the pipes while you are draining them.
2. Unlock all the Indoor and Outdoor Faucets
Opening faucets throughout the house is crucial. This allows air to enter the pipes from the top and water to drain out from the lowest points. Make sure to open all faucets, both indoors (sinks, tubs, showers) and outdoors (hose bibs), on every floor. Leaving them open will help the system drain thoroughly and prevent airlocks.
3. Flush Your Toilets
After opening faucets, flush all toilets in your home. This action empties the water from the tank and bowl, removing water from the supply lines leading to them. While not all water is removed this way, it's a necessary step in the process.
4. Empty the Water Lines to Your Water Based Appliances
Appliances that use water, such as washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators with ice makers, have water supply lines connected to your plumbing. Disconnect these lines and drain the water from them. Consult your appliance manuals for specific instructions on how to safely drain their internal components and lines.
5. Empty Your Water Heater Tank
Your water heater holds a significant amount of water. To drain it, you typically need to shut off the power or gas supply, connect a hose to the drain valve located near the bottom of the tank, and direct the hose to a suitable drainage area (like a floor drain or outside). Open the drain valve and a nearby hot water faucet to allow the tank to empty.
6. Force Compressed Air Through the Pipes
Using an air compressor is an advanced step often employed after gravity draining has removed most of the water. By connecting an air compressor to an external hose bib or a designated drain point and opening faucets one by one, you can force a blast of air through individual pipe sections, pushing out any remaining water. This method requires caution and appropriate fittings.
Following these steps systematically helps ensure that your pipes are as empty as possible, reducing the risk of freezing or allowing you to perform maintenance.
