How To Shut Off Your Water Heater

Have you ever had that emergency moment where you needed to turn off your water heater?

This is something that every single home owner should know how to do!  Of course, you can always call your local Mr. Rooter plumber to help you out with any water heater needs, but in an emergency it's important to know how to do a quick fix.

When do you need to turn off your water heater?  If it is overheating, making some funky noises, or operating abnormally it's time to turn it off.  You do NOT want to leave a water heater that is not working correctly running if you can help it. If you leave your water heater on, the problem could become more serious which increases your chance of a leak, flooding, or worse. 

Another reason you might want to turn your water heater off is if you are a DIY type of person and are doing water heater maintenance.   To maintain your water heater, the tank must be drained to avoid sediment build-up and build efficiency. Before draining your water heater, the water must be turned off to avoid personal injury or even electrocution - which is why we recommend you call your local Mr. Rooter Plumber.

How to Shut Off Your Water Heater

Gas: Twist the dial on the top of the thermostat from the ON to OFF position. 
Electric: Switch your circuit breaker for the water heater to the OFF position.

Turn off the water supply. Turn the handle on the water valve clockwise until it stops.  If the water does not stop, turn off the primary water valve for the whole house.

Drain your water heater. Within your home, open up any of the hot water faucets on your sinks or tubs. This helps prevent a vacuum forming in the lines. Return to your water heater and open up the drain valve to drain the hot water from the tank. Be sure that the far end of the hose is draining someplace that will not be damaged by hot water!! If you can, an outside driveway is your best bet.

Test the pressure release valve. When the water temperature has been brought back up, test the pressure valve according to the manufacturer's instructions. 

If during any of this process you feel unsure please call your local Mr. Rooter plumber right away! 315.472.1203

Image by: Mark Florence

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