How to Shut off Your Water Heater

To perform maintenance or repairs on your water heater, it needs to be turned off.  And if this task falls to you, there are several steps you’ll need to take. Facing a problem with your water heater or simply need a new one? A trusted plumbing company in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, can help you with that.

Turning the Water Heater Off at the Breaker

The first order of business when it comes to turning off your electric water heater is shutting the power off at the breaker. Electric heaters don’t have On and Off dials the way gas heaters do, which means you’ll need to locate the breaker that connects it to your electrical panel. By flipping this breaker, you disconnect the water heater – and any other appliances connected to the same breaker – from the power source.

It’s important to note that doing any work on an electric water heater that is connected to electricity is extremely dangerous. Always keep the breaker off the entire time that work is being performed.

Turning the Temperature Dial Down for a Gas Water Heater

If your water heater is gas, you’ll need to set the temperature dial from high or low to one of the following:

• Vacation mode
• Pilot
• Off

Both vacation and pilot mode quickly halt the heating process. If you do turn the heater off, you should know that you’ll need to relight the pilot light when you restart it.

Turning the Gas Supply off for a Gas Water Heater

Next up is turning the gas supply off if your water heater is powered by gas. To do this, you’ll need to locate the gas supply line, which is generally yellow and positioned near the bottom of the tank. To stop the gas supply, switch the handle to the Off position.

Turning Off the Water Supply

From here, you’ll turn the water supply off to the water heater. To do this, you’ll need to locate the water supply line, which can usually be found at the top right-hand side of the heater. Turn this handle to the off position by turning it fully to your left.

Draining Out the Water

If you have a leak or if you otherwise need to empty your water heater, you can do so quickly and efficiently by attaching a garden hose to the heater’s threaded drain spigot, which is located near the bottom. Screw on the hose to attach and direct its other end either outside or toward a sump pump. The final steps include the following:

• Turning on any hot water faucet in your home for about 30 seconds to let the remaining hot water run out
• Opening the water heater’s drain valve by turning the screw head where the hose is attached one-quarter turn to the left

A Reputable Delaware County, PA, Plumbing Company Can Help

The plumbing professionals at Di Gravio Plumbing and Heating – proudly serving Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for generations – can help with all your water heater needs, whatever they may be. Learn more by contacting us online or calling 610-565-5870 today.