Things You'll Need:
- wrench
- rags
- flashlight
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Step 1
First, you want to determine if someone has accidentally opened the drain at the bottom of the hot water heater. This will cause a "leak". Check the drain valve and turn the knob or lever to see if you can shut off the "leak". If the valve mechanism is internally damaged, you may be able to close off the drain with a hose cap that simply screws onto the drain.
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Step 2
Identify the water supply. These are 2 COPPER pipes. These pipes are usually required to enter the tank from ABOVE by code. One is the cold water SUPPLY. The SUPPLY is usually on the left hand side when facing the front of the water heater. (The front has the water drain at the bottom and a metal plate "door" that goes to the fuses). The other copper pipe is the hot water leaving the heater.
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Step 3
There should be a shutoff valve on the cold water supply. It has a RED rubber cover and is just a long bar. Just turn it GENTLY to the oppposite direction from where it is (usually this will position the red bar so it is perpendicular to the copper line).
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Step 4
Some older water heaters have a standard water faucet type valve handle (like your outdoor hose) and you just turn it counterclockwise to shut off the water.
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Step 5
Some water heaters are connected to the kitchen or bathroom sink! You will have to follow the copper lines and check under the sinks if you can't find the shutoff above the water heater. In this case, you may be able to find a shutoff valve to the sink faucet and shut them off - you will need a wrench or possibly a star-lug screwdriver.
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Step 6
Some older houses have additional shut off valves on the side of the house - look for a series of 1-2" diameter pipes (probably covered in paint) with shutoff valve levers on them. You can test which faucets they control with another person.
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Step 7
If you just can't find the shut off, then you will have to turn the main water supply off at the house meter. The house meter is probably in the back yard along the side. Lift the rectangular cement lid. The meter shutoff may be buried under layers of mud you have to dig out with a shovel. The shut off is usually about 6-10" away from the meter dial and is a small rectangle on top of a circle. You need a special wrench to shut this off or be exceptionally strong with a normal wrench.
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Step 8
If you shut off the main, open all the faucets in the house to drain the supply away from the water heater. Turn the faucets back off when they quit running water.
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Step 9
The hot water heater will continue leaking at this point because it still has water in it. You have to run all the hot water faucets until they have no more water running to drain it. Alternatively there is a drain at the bottom of the hot water heater to which you can attach a garden hose. You will have to have a bucket or run the hose outside if you use this option.
