Are you planning to go on vacation and want to turn off your water heater? Don’t worry, it’s a simple process that anyone can do. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps required to turn off your water heater when you’re away from home.
Step 1: Turn Off the Power Supply
The first step is to turn off the power supply to your water heater. Locate the circuit breaker for your water heater in your electrical panel and switch it off. This will ensure that no electricity is flowing into the water heater while it’s not in use.
Step 2: Turn Off the Water Supply
The next step is to turn off the water supply to your water heater. Find the valve on the cold water pipe that leads into your water heater and turn it clockwise until it’s completely closed. This will prevent any new water from entering the tank while you’re away.
Step 3: Drain the Water Heater
Once you’ve turned off both the power supply and water supply, it’s time to drain your water heater. This step is essential as stagnant water can lead to bacterial growth and corrosion, which can damage your unit over time.
To drain your tank, connect a hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of your unit. Place the other end of the hose in a bucket or outside where it won’t cause any damage.
Open up any hot-water faucet in your home and then open up the drain valve on your tank. Let all of the remaining hot water flow out of the tank until there’s none left.
Step 4: Close Drain Valve
After draining all of the hot water from within, close up and secure again with a wrench or pliers, making sure there are no leaks before finishing.
Step 5: Turn Off Gas Valve (For Gas Water Heaters)
If you have a gas water heater, there’s one more step you need to take. Locate the gas valve on your unit and turn it to the “off” position. This will stop any gas from flowing into the tank, preventing any potential gas leaks.
Step 6: Turn Off Pilot Light (For Gas Water Heaters)
Finally, if you have a gas water heater, make sure to turn off the pilot light as well. This is usually done by turning a knob on the unit to “pilot” and then blowing out the flame with a long lighter or match stick. Make sure that you do this safely and carefully as it can be dangerous.
Conclusion
In conclusion, turning off your water heater when you’re away from home is an easy process that anyone can do. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your unit is safe while you’re away. Remember to turn everything back on when you return home so that your water heater can resume normal operation.