replace a pice of pipe, how to properly shut off/vent pressure

langless28

i have a pinhole leak right above the hot water exit on a hot water heater and i would like to replace it before it gets worse (its already bad).

my setup is a oil furnace that heats for baseboard hot water and an amtrol hot water heater. the pipe in question is right after the hot water exit on the water heater.

i have used sweat fittings before and got one of those little kits, my question is how would i properly shut off the water to my house and depressurize the system (my first home so i have no idea). also would removing a piece of pipe and putting a new section on require me to do any sanitizing or anything? it is a hot water pipe anyway?

thanks!

biggles

shut the cold water and burner off to the HWH..connect a hose to the bottom of the heater,and drain it off open all the hot water faucets in the house to vent down the hot water from the HWH...put a bucket under the relief valve and lock the lever UP so it sucks or bleeds water.when that water stops running out of the relief shut the bottom drain off.now the water is just at the relief and below the fix point...meaning the house hot water is all vented down above you ....now for the fix if it is a pinhole leak sand it down clean... flux it ....sandcloth clean the lenght of soft solder torch the pinhole 1" away and paint the pinhole with the solder pulling the torch away as it melts over the hole....PS dip the solder rod into the flux prior to soldering....no need to relace the fitting.if the pin hole is on an exsisting soldered joint just shine it up one wipe with flux and torch it ..torch doen't need to be right up on the fitting and do both joints on the fitting because the fix will melt the other joint...so hit them both 360 degrees aroundPS leave the upper faucets open till you refill