Water heater shut off valve repair

This old water heater gate valve failed to close and needed to be replaced ASAP! The hot water heater shut off valve is an important safety valve for your home. In the event that your hot water heater leaks you can isolate the water heater for service and repair while still allowing the rest of the home to have water. I prefer ball valves over gate valves because they tend to last longer. The problem with all valves that sit in an open position for too many years is that they tend to build up hard water deposits that can cause the valve to malfunction when you eventually need to shut the water supply off.