If the power were ever to go out and prevent your
Do NOT turn the water off unless there's an actual leak. The correct thing to do is to run the water 24/7 until temperatures rise.
The rule of the thumb is that it takes roughly 6-hours for water in your pipe to freeze after left in an unheated area. Meaning if you lose power at your home and the weather is reaching below freezing point, you have approximately 6-hours until the pipes will begin to freeze.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
Moving water keeps pipes from freezing. Find shut off valves for emergencies. Insulate pipes in unheated areas. Open cupboards and vanities to warm pipes.
There's no harm to turning off your hot water heater if you want. You'll just have to light it again when you get home. People are probably advising you to leave it on pilot so you can just turn it back up when you get home.
Your hot water heater might keep turning off due to several reasons. If it's a gas water heater, it could be due to issues with the gas supply, a dirty or damaged thermocouple, or a clogged pilot tube. If it's an electric water heater, it could be due to problems with the thermostat or heating elements.
Else, if you have a full water tank, and you need to turn off the water for an issue unrelated to your water heater, then it really doesn't matter if you turn the water heater on or off.
DURING freezing weather:
If you plan to be away from home for several days, shutting off the water can reduce the chances of broken pipes. Set your home heat to at least 55 degrees. Shut off water to the house and open all faucets to drain pipes; flush the toilet once to drain the tank, but not the bowl.
We all know that freezing begins at 32° F or 0° C, but at what point do pipes freeze within our own homes? Temperatures only need to drop to about 20° F for a few hours to put exposed pipes at risk.
Overall, it's best that you take heed and drip your faucets when temperatures dip below freezing. A simple trickle of hot and/or cold water—both from faucets inside and outside the home—can prevent you from having to deal with a much larger issue (and bill!) in the long run.
Pipes typically burst when exposed to extremely low temperatures for an extended period of time (anywhere from 1-3 days depending on temperature). This is especially true for pipes located on exterior walls. A frozen pipe is likely to burst when any water or liquid trapped within it freezes and begins to expand.
Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
Running water through the pipe helps prevent it from freezing because the temperature of the water is above freezing. It also is recommended to turn on both hot and cold faucets near outside walls to allow a small trickle of water to run during the night and, if not used often, during extremely cold days as well.
Frozen pipes can cut off your home's water supply and cause damaging leaks. In many cases, the help of a plumber is needed to resolve the problem. To prevent further damage, it is generally recommended that you turn off your main water supply valve and your water heater until repairs have been made.
First, locate the mains water supply valve in your home. You should know where this is anyway, in case there is a plumbing emergency. The valve should have a wheel control or lever handle to open and close it. It is perfectly safe to turn it off by either turning the wheel clockwise or closing the lever.
Any water heater can freeze if water is left inside it
So when the power goes out in freezing temperatures, the water eventually can freeze, expand and burst the storage tank.
When pipes are not insulated very well or they aren't being used, and have no heating source, the water in the pipes will begin to freeze. If you leave pipes to freeze, it is more than likely that after An extended period of time they will begin to crack and inevitably burst.
Yes, pipes can freeze overnight if temperatures plummet drastically. Uninsulated pipes in unheated areas like attics or exterior walls are most vulnerable.
Your Pipes Could Freeze and Burst
If you turn off your water heater, your interior temperature will drop, leaving the water in your pipes susceptible to freezing. When the water in your pipes freezes, it expands and becomes ice. That ice creates blockages in your pipes and causes pressure to build.
Our professional answer after crunching the numbers? No, unless you're going on vacation for a month or longer, you shouldn't turn off your water heater.
The clearest sign that you have frozen pipes is if there is a complete lack of water coming out of your faucets and fixtures. This means that the water in your supply lines has frozen solid. In some cases, due to a partial freeze, you may still see a slight trickle of water.
If you decide to turn your water heater off for vacation, it might be a good idea to test it beforehand. You could try turning it off and on over the course of a day to make sure it won't cause any problems. Otherwise, it's best to just leave it on for your time away.
“No heating and hot water is considered as an emergency and thus should be resolved within 24 hours as an acceptable 'reasonable time'.”