I drained my water system last winter. I charged it up yesterday. All of my faucets work. My question is how do I know that my hot water heater is full? When I tap the hot water tank it sounds empty and I can move it slightly (as if it were empty). However, on the outside where I light the Water heater I have a water valve, water comes out. Also, after lighting the water heater the water is warmer when turned to hot at the faucet. I'm nervous because it seems to me that my tank is empty. I'm a newbie. Thank you in advance for any help.
Filling my water heater
- Thread starter AkCapt
- Start date
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It's both normal and desirable to have a cushion (or head) of air in the hot water tank. The easiest way to do that is drain the tank (which you did last winter), then put the drain plug back in and turn on the water. Be sure any bypass valve is in the non-bypass position. The water will fill the tank, compressing the air to give the needed cushion. If you're getting hot water at the faucets, then it's fine.
I'm wondering how you're accessing the tank to tap on it? Hot water tanks are usually wrapped in a lot of insulation and access to the actual water tank is nearly impossible, all you can see is the enclosing metal cabinet.
Once you've established the air head, don't open the TPR valve as that will allow the air to escape and when you see water coming out, you've lost the head. The head is needed to allow the water to expand as it heats without creating undue pressure on the hot water system.
Once you've established the air head, don't open the TPR valve as that will allow the air to escape and when you see water coming out, you've lost the head. The head is needed to allow the water to expand as it heats without creating undue pressure on the hot water system.
Gottasmilealot
Well-known member
At the beginning of the season, what I do is restore the normal piping arrangement (undo your bypass arrangement), then just crack the water supply to fill the system and water heater very slowly. Open the hot water faucets a little and just let it fill until water runs from the faucets and no more air escapes (you'll get some spitting of air as it is purged from the water heater tank), it takes a little while. I'll then open the faucets and supply valve fully and let it run awhile until all the red antifreeze is flushed out of the lines. After the system is full and running clean, then I light the water heater so there's no chance of lighting a dry heater.
