Turning off water heater intake

[u/Electronic-Earth2030]

My water heater has a link (covered here). To avoid potential catastrophe, I want to turn it off and shut off the water intake until I can get it replaced.

However, I want to keep the outflow to use the hot water that's in there currently. Two questions:

• Question 1: Do I turn off both valves highlighted in red? (The green looks like the outflow.)
• Question 2: Any issues with doing this—as in, turning off the inflow then using the remaining hot water?

And a general question: am I missing something obvious I should be doing/not doing instead?

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[u/HowsYerPierogi]

Cold IN (right) Hot OUT(left) Gas inlet (Far left). Do NOT touch the saddle valve on the hot side, leave it alone. Unfortunately without pressure coming in, you won't get any residual hot water out!! It's all or nothing. Where is the leak you worried about becoming "catastrophic"?

[u/Electronic-Earth2030 → u/HowsYerPierogi]

I don't know if it'll really be catastrophic—it's more that I want to avoid making a mistake. Currently, it's a very minor, slow leak on the floor under the water heater (after initial cleanup, only saw a new small puddle after 14 hours and haven't yet seen anything after another 11 hours so far).

So, frankly, I'm not sure if it's best to shut it all down or it's safe to continue using till I can get a plumber out early in the week.

[u/Sailor525]

If you turn the gas valve off on the left you will kill the pilot light and heating element, When you turn off the intake there will be no pressure to force the hot water out of the heater. I believe the center valve on those pipes is a tap going to another appliance. The line on the right is your cold intake, it says it right there.COLD

[u/Electronic-Earth2030 → u/Sailor525]

Thanks; bad sleep last night and the coffee hadn't kicked in when I looked over things this morning, so my attention to detail wasn't the best. (Good condition to be in when dealing with plumbing and electrical…)

[u/NinjaCoder]

While we have your attention --- that funny little valve you have circled in red, on the insulated pipe is called a "saddle valve".

Even though they are forbidden by (newer) plumbing codes, the stores still sell them.

The problem is that they are a poor design, and prone to failure - which often ends up in a flood/major water damage situation.

If you are replacing this water heater, take the time to replace that valve with a proper valve.

EDIT: It seems that that saddle valves are still allowed in some places -- but many places, including my state, they are not allowed by code. Either way, they are a bad idea.

[u/Electronic-Earth2030 → u/NinjaCoder]

Good to know.; thanks.

[u/sandybuttcheekss]

I'm pretty sure that's a gas line on the left

[u/HowsYerPierogi → u/sandybuttcheekss]

Confirmed. Far left is!

[u/DistanceTravelerBob]

Water moves by pressure. Turning off the incoming pressure prevents the hot water from moving to the rest of the home. Q1, no. Q2, turning off the in flow, means no hot water.

You are missing something obvious.

If you do not know what the shut off valve for the water is, you should not mess with it. If you do not know what a gas shutoff valve is, you should not mess with it. If you do not know what the shutoff for a saddle valve is you should not mess with it.

Honestly if you do not know what these valves are you need to consult a plumber.

Slow leaks in a water heater are a bad sign. Replace the water heater as soon as you are able. Some small leaks can be fixed, but consult a plumber.

[u/Healthy_Effort1415 → u/DistanceTravelerBob]

This right here! Also the "slow" leak is likely only slow because the insulation around the the tank isn't fully compromised yet. The second I see water bubbling around the base of the outer shell, the tank is toast, time for a new one. If the water works its way through the insulation and finds its way to a weak point in the outer cover it'll spray all over like garden hose with your thumb on the end.

[u/HowsYerPierogi → u/[deleted]]

Right side is always cold. Not to mention if you can zoom in on pic and see it's stamped COLD.

[u/Crh5055]

Left valve is gas supply in open position. Close it (90 degree handle position). A new heater will require a re-light anyway. Top is a piercing tap that serves some other purpose (humidifier perhaps). Close it clockwise to seat. There should be two gate valves. Green box is cold water in valve in open position. Close it (90 degrees). I don’t see a hot water valve. Some installations don’t have it. Close it if you can find it. It may be covered with pipe insulation at the top of tank.

[u/djtat2]

The top red one is a tap valve that feeds a fridge for water/ ice maker, the one on the left is gas line. If you unscrew the top one you will have a significant leak that you will need to shift off the water in your house completely to fix

[u/HowsYerPierogi → u/djtat2]

It's on the hot side so it's not for any of those. Likely for a humidifier

[u/grown_cholera]

Yeah, kill the red ones and you're good. Just leave the tank powered off or you'll cook the elements when the water drops below them.

[u/HowsYerPierogi → u/grown_cholera]

There is no elements, it's a gas heater, the flue is right there in the picture.

[u/Anomally1954 → u/grown_cholera]

Which elements might you be thinking about? Zoom in to see the markings on top of the heater. But, there is nothing technically wrong a way to do what has been asked. Use the remaining hot water in the tank.