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On Oct 23, 8:52 am, Steve wrote:
wrote on 23 Oct 2007 in group alt.home.repair:

Hi all - I need to replace the hot water faucet in my shower stall.
This weekend, I turned off the main water valve for the house (the
cold water line into the hot water heater doesn't have an operational
shut-off valve) and turned on the the hot water (in the shower) to let
the lines drain. BUT it appeared to be draining from the hot water
tank too. Will it drain the entire tank? I had thought that without
pressure, it would only drain the lines that had water in it. It
seems a waste to drain the entire tank. Thoughts?

If the outlet in the shower is lower than the water heater, then the water
heater will drain, along with everything else that's higher than the
outlet.

Open other faucets to allow air into the system so it'll drain faster. In
fact, open all the faucets so you can drain the whole system and recharge
your air hammer chambers.

Turn off the water heater so it doesn't burn itself up trying to heat an
empty tank.

--
Steve B.
New Life Home Improvement

OK, the shower is on the 1st floor, the water heater in the basement.
Where is all the water coming from? I had let it drain for about 15
minutes and there seemed no end in sight. Would it take longer than
that?

Many times, old shut-off valves will not completely stop all water flow. Open a
cold faucet below the place you are working to drain extra water away. Shut off
the water heater power or burner while doing this. Don't worry about the water
in the heater. It is just a one time waste.

Bob