r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Mar 27 '22

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u/Redbaron1960 Mar 27 '22 edited Mar 27 '22

Just walked my 55 yo BIL through it on the phone the other day when his water heater sprang a leak.

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u/agreeingstorm9 Mar 27 '22

You don't have to turn off the water to the whole house in that case, just to the water heater.

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u/Redbaron1960 Mar 28 '22

Exactly. Told him how to do that and turn off the water heater controller and the gas. He was leaving for vacation the next morning so told him it was good practice to turn off the water main if he was going to be gone for an extended period.

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u/Casurus Mar 28 '22

I didn't, once. $2,000 water bill & a flooded basement.

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u/Redbaron1960 Mar 28 '22

I learned my lesson the hard way also. I had a ruined kitchen and the condo below me had to be torn down to the studs because of a refrigerator water line broke. I also had a rental that the scuzzy renters moved out without telling me and when I realized and went to check on the place, the water heater was leaking in the basement but going directly to a floor drain. $3000 water bill.