So this place was made into a duplex and they forced a hot water heater into a small closet. Maybe I’m not understanding properly but why is there not a hot water Shutoff valve there? The hot water wasn’t shutting fully off on the tub, so the valve stem likely just needs to be replaced, not hard… quick cheap replacement usually… But when I went to shut off the hot water I found this.
Side note, I also found their was no exhaust vent for the dryer a couple years ago, we had to have someone cut a whole where the exhaust was ran, but just sat up against the exterior wall with no outlet. (Obviously a fire hazard). Shit happens, but am I wrong that a shut off valve should be there?
You should be able to turn off that cold water inlet valve instead. The pressure from the hot water tank comes from the cold water being pushed into it, so just turn off the valve and open a hot water faucet somewhere nearby to release any pressure that has already built up or may get through that crappy valve.
How long can you do that for, it won’t cause issues with the heater without turning off the power?
It shouldn’t cause issues, since the water will remain in the heater without any pressure to push it out, there’s no difference between leaving it sitting with the valve open or closed.
Now, draining the tank could actually cause problems… But there’s not any reason for you to do that for what you’re trying to accomplish.
Turn off the power to the heater before doing any work
As long as there’s water inside the heater it’s fine.
There’s a bunch of stuff wrong with that plumbing job… but you should be able to shut off the feed valve to stop the flow of hot water. I’m more concerned about it not being properly vented though, if it’s a gas heater with no venting it’s poisoning your air.
The HVAC unit is gas, I think the water heater is electric, there isn’t a bottom fed spark/fire like the units I remember from say my grandfather’s place built on the 50s.
This rental duplex was built in 2018
Okay, then yeah, it’s pretty typical to just shut off the cold water feed to the water heater. Pull the cord/flip the breaker, whatever it takes to turn it off… open all the taps if there’s water pipes above it so everything drains, then replace the faulty valve in the tub.
Same concerns though, if the furnace isn’t properly vented you’re going to be breathing carbon monoxide. That absolutely must be corrected, the unit is not safe to occupy and any municipality will red-tag the installation and shut off the gas supply until it’s corrected.
Care to explain more about the monoxide. Is that only if it is gas, or are you saying it could be an issue if electric as well?
Only if it’s gas. It’s a combustion byproduct.
Yeah there isn’t a pilot light in the closet, so it should be fully electric
Right… but if there’s a furnace in your unit that isn’t properly vented that’s your priority.
good thing they built that to last
I like that they put the coldwater valve behind the warm water pipe, so you just must burn your wrist.
Welcome to Tennessee construction. I never thought I’d think Florida was decent
(Obviously a joke, one bad worker isn’t the sum of the whole)
