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Water Heater Tips

Regulating Water Temp: If your shower or tub runs very hot or cold water when a toilet is flushed; or when another tap in the house is being used. Ask us to install a mixing valve with a built-in temperature and pressure regulator.

If Your Water Isn't Hot Enough: You can raise the temperature of your heater. The thermostat is usually located on the outside of the unit. The average setting is 125 degrees - you can check the actual temperature of your sink or tub water by using an instant-read meat thermometer. If you're raising the temperature from that, raise it in small increments, a few degrees at a time, until you reach the desired temperature.

Plumbing Emergencies: In a plumbing emergency, you'll need to stop the flow of water. Spend some time learning where the shut-off values are for all your fixtures and appliances, as well as the main shut-off valve.

Valves for sinks and toilets are usually located underneath the fixture. Appliances such as clothes washers usually have their shut-off valves in the back, at the water supply pipe. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water.

If there's no specific shut-off valve for that fixture or the problem is not with just one appliance, you'll need to use the main shut-off value to turn off the water supply for the entire house. This is located either inside or outside the house where the main water supply pipe enters. It is often located just inside the foundation wall in the basement or crawl space. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water. You may need a wench to turn the valve so it's a good idea to keep one near the valve.

If the main shut-off valve itself is defective, the water company can shut down the water from the street. If you have a private well, call Laury Heating if you need help turning off the main water supply.

Frozen Pipes:

If a pipe freezes, turn the main shut-off valve
Look for cracks in the pipe before you try to thaw it out
You can try a few methods to thaw it out slowly- as there may be breaks that are unnoticeable in the pipe. If the pipe isn't split, thaw it out by applying hot water bottles or by careful use of an electric hair dryer.
Don't try to thaw it too quickly as there may be splits in the pipe which are not immediately noticeable
Never use a flame to thaw a pipe
Always start thawing a pipe at the end nearest the tap
If any part of the boiler or hot water system is frozen, turn it off since there's a risk of explosions
Be careful because although water may be flowing from taps, other parts of the system may still be frozen

A Faucet That Won't Shut Off:

Immediately turn off the water at the fixture shut-off valve underneath the sink. If there's no valve there, turn off the main shut-off valve.
Call Laury Heating to repair the faucet or, if necessary, replace it.

Burst Pipe:

Shut off the water supply by closing the main shut-off valve. If the water flow doesn't stop immediately, open all cold-water taps so the system can drain.
DON'T TURN ON HOT TAPS
Turn off the central heating system and, if it uses a solid boiler, allow the fire to die out.
Switch off any electrical immersion heater, and call Laury Heating.