How To Turn Off The Water Heater
Problems with water heaters can become abundant if they aren’t maintained properly. For example, if the pilot light goes out, gas can start to build up and lead to an unpleasant surprise. Water leaks are another serious problem as damage can occur when running the heater without water.
Before deciding to perform any maintenance for a leak, you’ll want to turn off the water heater. How easily you can do this will depend entirely on how easily you can access your settings and supply lines. This usually isn’t a problem; you’ll just need a flashlight to help you find the valves. Your water heater is usually in a utility closet or in the basement.
With an electric water heater, you will want to find an electrical panels box. Find the circuit breaker responsible for heating up the water in your water heater; typically, the inside of the door should list which breaker affects which appliance in your home. When you find it, turn it off.
With a gas water heater, you will want to find the thermostat dial. You can find this near the water heater tank on the gas valve. The exact location will vary depending on your setup, but you should be able to find it near the bottom of the tank. Turn this to the off position.
Locate the primary valve for the line that emits the house gas; this should also be near the water heater and uses either a knob or a lever handle. If you have a lever, you’ll want to move it perpendicular to the line to shut it off. With a knob, you’ll just need to turn it clockwise to shut it tight.
Finally, you need to turn off the water supply. Find the valve on the plumbing pipe, which you can find more toward the top of the water heater.
