When you have a water outage, the first thing to do is to find out whether it will be fixed soon or not. If you don’t know how long it will take, the next step would be to find a way of getting clean drinking water without an electric water heater. So your only option is to turn off the electric hot water heater and use other means for getting clean drinking water until the utility crew restores power and makes everything back to normal. Turning off an electric water heater might sound like a tough job, but it’s not as hard as it seems. This article discusses whether you should turn off the hot water heater or keep using it during a power outage.
Should I Turn Off My Electric Water Heater When the Water is Off?
If you have a water heater that works with a thermostat, it’s easy to turn off when the water is off. If your water heater has a timer, you can set it to turn on in the morning or evening and turn it off at night.
How To Turn Off An Electric Water Heater?
- Turn off the power to the water heater.
- If you have a gas water heater, turn off the gas at the outside valve.
- If you have an electric water heater, turn off the breaker at your electrical panel or fuse box.
- Open the faucet to drain out any water in your tank and run cold water through it to cool it down if it is not already cool enough.
- Empty any remaining hot water in your tank into a bucket or sink and wait for it to cool before using it again.
- Drain out any remaining hot water from your tank into a bucket or sink and wait for it to cool before using it again (this will be difficult if you have a large tank).
- Wait until there is no more hot water coming out of your faucet and then turn off the cold-water faucet on that side of your house that is closest to where the power went out (most likely this will be on one side of both bathrooms in one bathroom).
- Wait until all power has been restored and then turn on that cold-water faucet from that side of the house, but only after all other faucets have been turned on first (most likely this will be one bathroom).
- Turn on the electric water heater thermostat if it has one.
- The last resort would be to turn off the power to that side of the house, wait for all other faucets to be turned on, then turn on the cold-water faucet from that side of the house.
Pros Of Turning Off Hot Water Heater During Outage
- You have a hot shower.
- You can use the water to flush your toilet.
- You can wash dishes and clothes during a power outage if you don’t have a dishwasher.
- Your home will be warm and comfortable during a power outage because of the electric water heater.
- You save electricity
- Turn off the electric water heater when it is not required during a power outage is also called “turning off the hot water heater” or “turning off electric hot water heater” is also called “Turning Off Electric Water Heater During Power Outage”, it helps to save electricity and money !!!
- Turning off the electric water heater during a power outage is also called “Turning Off Electric Water Heater”, it helps to save electricity and money !!!
- You can use the hot water heater to heat the water in your refrigerator and freezer during a power outage.
- You can wash dishes and clothes during power outages if you don’t have a dishwasher.
- Your home will be warm and comfortable during a power outage because of the electric water heater.
Cons Of Turning Off Hot Water Heater During A Blackout
- You’re Not Sure Whether Turning Off the Hot Water Heater During Outage Will Kill Your Tank.
- You’re Not Sure Whether It’s Safe to Turn Off a Hot Water Heater During a Blackout
- It Takes Time to Turn Off the Hot Water Heater During an Outage
- It Takes Time to Turn Over a Gas Line or Electric Cord
- You Have to Be Careful When Turning Off Hot Water Heater
- You’re Not Sure Whether the Power Will Be Back On in Time
- You Have to Turn Off Other Appliances While Turning Off the Hot Water Heater During an Outage
- It Takes Time to Turn Over a Hot Water Heater During an Outage
- It Takes Time to Turn Over a Gas Line or Electric Cord
- You Have to Be Careful When Turning Off a Hot Water Heater During an Outage
Conclusion
Electric water heaters are designed to operate normally even during a power outage. However, if you have an indoor tank, you should turn it off to prevent it from freezing. If you don’t have enough water stored, you can turn off the hot water heater to save water and electricity.
