Drained water heater, flow worse

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Pitterpat

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As the title says, I drained my water heater and the water flow got worse to the kitchen sink on the main floor. My water heater is in the basement, I have a one story house.

Why is this and is there anyway to make it better other than getting a new water heater?
 

Reach4

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Why is this and is there anyway to make it better other than getting a new water heater?
Check the aerator on the kitchen faucet. Maybe you stirred up something, and the aerator clogged. Remove the aerator and see if you get a lot more flow.

Rather than simple draining, you can get some flushing action if you turn on the fill water full and back off. Let it drain out again. Repeat a few times. You are wanting the turbulance of the fill water hitting the empty bottom and stirring up sediment a few times.
 

Terry

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I would remove the aerator on the kitchen faucet, clean it, and you should be good to go.
You may have mixed up some sediment in the water.
 

CountryBumkin

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Is it just the Hot water that is flowing poorly or both Hot and Cold?
If Hot side only, maybe the "check valve (heat trap)" on the hot water outlet pipe (if it has one) in the water heater is partially stuck/blocked.

If any of the pros think this is a possibility, a picture of the water heater outlet fitting would help determine if you have this valve. Such as http://www.americanwaterheater.com/media/23781/6500253.pdf
 
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Reach4

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How is the flow to other faucets such as the tub?

Unless the flow problem is to all higher volume hot faucets and only hot faucets, a new WH is not going to help the flow problem. Even if you have those symptoms (including much reduced flow to the hot in the tub), the water in the hot path does go through the two heat traps at the WH, although it is the output side, that CountryBumkin suspects, might have been affected by debris.
 
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Pitterpat

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Is it just the Hot water that is flowing poorly or both Hot and Cold?
If Hot side only, maybe the "check valve (heat trap)" on the hot water outlet pipe (if it has one) in the water heater is partially stuck/blocked.

If any of the pros think this is a possibility, a picture of the water heater outlet fitting would help determine if you have this valve. Such as http://www.americanwaterheater.com/media/23781/6500253.pdf
I don't have this. Thanks
 

Dj2

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Replace the hot side outlet nipple (on top of the water heater), with a dielectic nipple - available where plumbing supplies are sold, for less than $4.

How old is the water heater?
 

Asktom

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If the flow problem is only at the kitchen faucet then it isn't a water heater problem. If the flow of both hot and cold is poor with the aerator removed then the problem is undoubtedly inside the faucet and you will need to take it apart and clean it. Depending on the faucet and the nature of the problem you may need to change the cartridge. If the problem is only on the hot on the kitchen faucet then something is clogged between where the hot supply branches to the kitchen and the inside of the faucet and you will need to track down where the problem is starting at the supply flex to the faucet.
 

Pitterpat

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If the flow problem is only at the kitchen faucet then it isn't a water heater problem. If the flow of both hot and cold is poor with the aerator removed then the problem is undoubtedly inside the faucet and you will need to take it apart and clean it. Depending on the faucet and the nature of the problem you may need to change the cartridge. If the problem is only on the hot on the kitchen faucet then something is clogged between where the hot supply branches to the kitchen and the inside of the faucet and you will need to track down where the problem is starting at the supply flex to the faucet.
Hot side only; can't tell on other faucets and showers. Shower in the basement and still working / procrastinating on the other upstairs bathrooms.
 

Flapper

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It could be that debree has clogged the hot side of the faucet.
Our bathroom faucet used to have low flow on the hot side until I took the hot valve cartridge out and found debree in it.
 

Plumber's Friend

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It could be that debree has clogged the hot side of the faucet.
Our bathroom faucet used to have low flow on the hot side until I took the hot valve cartridge out and found debree in it.
Or the stop valve or the supply tube. Open things up until you have good flow all the way back to the nipple on the WH, as someone mentioned, then check, clean and/or replace from there to the faucet. If the other faucets are flowing, there is probably an obstruction at the stop valve or later. Some high end faucets have flow regulators with a lot of moving parts that can get plugged up.
 

Dj2

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You need a new water heater. Prices go up, so the longer you wait, the more you will pay.
 
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