Can the water heater be damaged if the gas has been turned off for a period of time?
Water – Can the water heater be damaged if the gas has been shut off
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Related Solutions
Water heaters have a dip tube on the cold water side that puts the cold water into the bottom of the tank. If water pressure is lost on the cold water side, the tank can siphon down through the cold water inlet till it reaches the bottom of the dip tube. Then since there's no water in the tank to absorb heat, the dip tube can melt and the tank can be damaged.
It would be best to at least set the heater so it is on pilot only.
Note: Manufacturer AO Smith states in their manuals that their gas water heaters must not be operated without being certain it's filled or with the cold water inlet shutoff valve closed.
It might be a small leak or several very small leaks. I had a leak in my Philadelphia home for years and had no clue. During remodel, I replaced the gas pipes (same appliances), and my gas bill unexpectedly went down by $50 for the summer months. A bubble test will not do. Obtain a real gas leak tester, and thoroughly and methodically test each joint.
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Best Answer
That depends. If the water heater in question has a pilot light, as opposed to an igniter, then probably not, but if there is an igniter and not a pilot light, the fuse for the igniter could blow as the igniter tries to light a nonexistent gas flow. As far as physical damage to the water heater itself, I don't see how. A fuse is a pretty minor fix. And if you turn the thermostat all the way down, you shouldn't have to worry about the fuse either.