Turning The Water Off At The Main Shutoff Valve
If your leak is somewhere in the main branch line, or if there is no fixture shut-off valve near the fixture you need to repair or replace, find the main shut-off valve for the home. This is usually found in a utility space near where the main water line enters the house, or on an outside wall near the water meter. This valve will always be located on the same side of the house as the water meter and it is usually a rather large valve.
This valve rarely gets closed, so it may be a little stiff to operate.
After shutting off the main shut-off valve, if you open the lowest faucet in your home and also the highest faucet in the home, it will allow water standing in the plumbing system to drain away. This means the water supply pipes will be empty of water, which can prevent water from spilling out when you begin your work on them.
How To Turn Off The Water For Plumbing Repairs
Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with 15 years of experience in commercial, new residential plumbing, and residential service and repair. He started his own residential service and repair plumbing business. Aaron’s articles about plumbing on The Spruce span four years.
The Spruce
Shutting off the water supply in your home is usually necessary when you are making plumbing repairs to any of the fixtures or pipes in your home’s plumbing system. There are at least three different places you can shut off the water, and your choice of locations will depend on where the leak or the plumbing repair needs to occur. Generally, no tools are required to shut off the water.
Here are several locations where your home’s water supply can be shut off, and how to choose the right one.
When To Turn Off Your Water Heater
Turning off your water heater may be necessary in the case of a plumbing emergency, like in the case that your cold water line loses pressure and fails to fill the water tank, or in the case that your water tank empties for any other reason.
In other cases, turning off your water heater may be desirable, but not necessary, like in the case of a leak. Leaks can happen for a number of different reasons:
- Improper drainage
If youre simply looking to save money by avoiding running the water heater when its not being used, its best to turn the temperature down instead of completely turning the unit off. Water heaters can be difficult to turn back on, and you may find yourself without hot water for longer than youd like.
If you decide to turn off your water heater, make sure that you work carefully and understand your water heaters components before making any adjustments. A water heaters components are:
- The shutoff valve stops the flow of cold water into the water heater and is typically located outside and above the unit.
- The drain valve is usually located near the bottom of the tan and empties water and sediment from the storage tank.
- The pressure relief valve keeps the pressure inside the tank within safe limits.
- The heating mechanism may be gas or electric and is the most important part of the tank to shut off if you are concerned about an empty tank following a water shutoff.
To turn off your water heater, following the following instructions in this video:
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Turning Off The Water Heater Valve
- The gas control valve is red and black in color, and it is positioned on the front of the tank toward the bottom, near the bottom of the tank.
- It is possible that it is concealed.
- If it is hidden, you will have to draw back in order to disclose it.
Then youll come across the dial selector, which you should turn to the on position.Aside from that, make sure the dial pilot position is set to off. These procedures aid in preventing the burner from igniting.If you wish to switch off the water heater for a few minutes so that you may do maintenance, you will turn the dial to the pilot position.
Identify The Supply Valve
Locate the gas shut off valve for water heater, it is a copper pipe that comes out of the well and then directly attaches to the gas tank. It is usually on the tanks right side.
For a lever, you can turn it perpendicular. In case it is a supply valve, we can turn the valve clockwise. Once the knob or the lever is perpendicular to the pipe, this indicates that you have successfully turned the gas pipe off.
When shutting the valve, do so gently until you can no longer turn or tighten it you may use a wrench to aid you if it feels too hard to turn due to rust.
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How To Turn Off Water Heater
Gas or water leak are some of the things that can scare you the most. But that doesnt always have to be the case if you know how to turn off water heater.
When your digital alarm begins to sound, its not the time to panic or do something silly. Even before you a call in a plumber, you need to turn off everything to stop the gas or water leak.
Find The Gas Line And Turn Off The Gas Line Valve
To begin, you must locate the gas supply pipe and then shut off the gas valve. The gas line will be your guide if you cant find the gas valve near the heater. You are unable to obtain it for whatever reason after completing all of these steps. Then you should get in touch with your gas supplier for assistance.
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Walk Through Shutting Off Your Heater Before You Have To
Everyone feels a bit of panic when an alarm starts going off, or he or she sees a leak spreading across the floor. If you practice turning off your water heater, you will have come across any quirks or odd steps your heater has ahead of time. If you maintain your water heater by draining it every three to six months, then you will be even more comfortable in the event of an emergency.
Also, take care of turning the water back on to your house. Opening the valve too much or too quickly can damage the connection and push something out of place if you are unfamiliar with it, ask your plumber to show you the correct procedure for your main water valve when they come to take a look at your heater.
Know where your shut-off valves are. Just like with a circuit breaker, this tip applies to more than just your water heater. Knowing how to shut off water to different appliances, as well as how to safely shut off water to your whole house, is incredibly important. You do not want to waste time looking when you get a leak sometimes the main water valves can be tricky to find.
If you cannot turn your water heater off, or you need an expert to take a look at it, you can contact Waterheaters.com here or call 1393-1772 for emergency service in the tri-state area.
Water Heater Safety Tips
- Keep the area around the water heater clear. Many people use the flat top of the water heater for storage or built-in shelving, but these areas should always remain empty to make for easy access and proper safety precautions. Additionally, water heaters need proper ventilation as a fire prevention measure.
- Never store combustibles such as paints, chemicals, or solvents on or near your water heater.
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How To Turn Off The Water Heater
Have you had that moment when you came home from a long day, and all you want is a nice hot shower? Especially during these cold winter days, yet all you get is icy cold water? Have you ever gotten into the shower after your partner just got out and you are left with nothing but cold water? Many people just think it is because its that time of the year, when water is just simply not hot enough because of the cold weather. Fortunately, this is not true! Your water heater is capable of producing hot water year round. When was the last time you checked the health of your water heater? If you are having problems with your heater, such as leaks and failing pilot lights, then the first thing you should do is turn off your water heater.
Final Thoughts On Electric Water Heaters And Gas Water Heaters
Turning your heater off in the case of an emergency is not difficult, but you do want to make sure that someone can shut it off if necessary.
In an emergency like a gas leak or the power going out, shutting down your water heater will help ensure safety for all those involved in the event.
Dino Paccino
Dino is a lifelong writer and home improvement specialist. He enjoys bringing cutting-edge information on home renovation and remodeling to Kitchen Infinity.
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How To Turn Off Gas Tankless Water Heater
Gas tankless water heaters use natural gas as a power source, but they also use electricity to power the control panel and igniter.
Be extremely cautious to ensure both the electrical current and gas supply are turned off to the unit.
How to Turn on Gas Tankless Water Heater
When youre ready to turn your gas tankless water heater back on, follow these steps in order:
Should You Turn Off Your Water Heater When On Vacation
- Previous Post Next Post If youre planning a trip in the near future, you might be wondering what precautions you should take to conserve energy while your home is unoccupied.
- Here are some suggestions.
- For example, most homeowners adjust the temperature of their HVAC systems to a lower or higher setting depending on the season, or they turn them off completely before leaving the house.
Appliances can be unplugged and lights may be turned off while on vacation, but should you turn off your water heater while away from home?
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Should I Turn My Water Off When I Go On Vacation
- Most people dont turn off the water every time they leave the house, but what if youre going on vacation and forget to turn off the water?
- Is it necessary to switch off the water at that point?
- What about shorter vacations, such as weekend getaways or work travels?
No matter if youre taking some well-deserved time off or traveling for business, returning home to a plumbing problem or, worse, tragedy is never a good thing.Yes, you should turn off the water before you leave, to give you the short version of it.Heres why its important and how to do it correctly.
Turn Off The Water Heater Valve
Check the front of the tank, and you will notice a red or black button. Sometimes these buttons are hidden behind insulating materials, and you have to pull it off to reveal the button. Move or turn the switch from the on position to the off position.
Turning off the heater will stop the pilot from working and the burner from heating. Pull off the heat shield and check inside for signs of heat or flames. If youre doing maintenance, turn on the pilot, and the flame stays lit, but the burner wont work.
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Attaching Hose To The Drain Valve Of The Tank
There is a drain valve near the bottom of the water heater, made of brass or plastic. Different units have valves made of different materials. Connect one end of the hose to the drain. And keep its other end at the floor drain.
The water inside the tank is hard so dont run it into your plants, which will be dangerous for them. Dont allow your pets, kids, or friends to play in this water. You must be careful during this process.
Remember to keep one end of the hose at the lower floor level so that gravity can help flush the water more quickly and easily.
Should You Turn Off Your Water Heater When Not In Use
- As an alternative to shutting off your water heater before you leave, set it to vacation mode before you go.
- If your unit does not have a vacation setting, you can manually adjust the temperature to anywhere between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You may still save a few dollars while guaranteeing that your water heater is still operational when you return from your vacation, despite the fact that the energy savings will be minor.
If you are going on a lengthy vacation and will be emptying and turning off your water heater before you go, be sure to read the instructions that came with your water heater before you depart.When you switch your unit back on, make sure to follow the directions exactly as written to avoid any problems.In the event that you are experiencing difficulty turning on your water heater, contact your local Aire Serv at 259 2280.Best of luck on your journey!
Looking for the pressure release valve for your water heater?Mr.Rooter will take care of you.Take a look at this blog post to find out where it is and how to test it: Is it possible to get to the pressure relief valve on a hot water heater?The link will open in a new tab.The Mr.
RooterLink opens in a new tab brand, like Aire Serv, is a member of the NeighborlyLink opens in a new tab community of home service brands, which includes Aire Serv and Mr.RooterLink opens in a new tab.Previous Previous post: Previous post: Next post:
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Know Exactly How To Shut Off Your Water Heater When It Starts Acting Up
One of the most frequent questions we get from customers at Horizon Services is How do I turn off my water heater? This is something EVERY homeowner should know how to perform. If your water heater is overheating, making strange noises or performing unusually, its extremely important that you do not allow it to run.
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The longer your water heater continues running, the worse the problem could get and the more likely that you are going to have leakage, flooding or worse. Even if you have called a plumbing contractor to come look at the problem, it is still better if you can turn off the hot water heater before the technician arrives to look at your appliance.
Shutting Off Your Water Heater Can Cause Problems
- If you leave your water heater turned off while on vacation, you may find yourself with water heater troubles when you return.
- The most obvious problem is that you wont have access to hot water during your stay.
- For those post-travel showers, it might take up to an hour for any hot water to become accessible, and thats only if youre able to turn your water heater back on again.
Depending on how old your unit is, you may have some trouble turning it back on after it has been turned off for a period of many days.The stress of having to restart the system of an older unit might result in water heater repairs or even a complete replacement of the device.
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Thinking Ahead In Extreme Weather Conditions
In a case of extreme weather conditions, natural disaster, or another event that leaves you without access to water service, some steps can be taken to minimize damage before it occurs: turning off your hot water heater safely at least 24 hours ahead of time will save on electricity costs and allow you more time when dealing with how long each hot water tank lasts between draining cycles.
Also, checking the drain valve regularly ensures that no clogs occur during those times when there isn’t enough clear flow out from the hot-water system.
Reasons To Turn Off A Water Heater
You might need to turn your water heater off for several reasons. Some of the most common are:
- You hear strange noises coming from the water heater
- The water heater is overheating
- Youre running out of hot water too quickly
- Theres no hot water in the house
- Theres a problem with one of the water heater components
- You want to drain the water heater tank to clean it
- Youll be away from home for a while
- You see the water heater leaking
- The main water supply is turned off
Basically, anytime the water heater will be worked on or inspected due to an issue, it should be turned off.
If theres no water to refill the tank , the water heater should be turned off to prevent excess heat or pressure from building up inside the tank.
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