The embodiment of the invention discloses a control method, a device, a control chip and a water heater. The control chip of the water heater is used for monitoring effectiveness of the Internet cloud control. When the Internet cloud control is detected ineffective, the control chip loads the demand settings set by a user for a water heater unit, and controls the unit to operate as per the demand settings of the user, so as to overcome the deficiency that the water cannot be heated in case that the Internet cloud control operates abnormally and the water heater cannot operate normally for lack of Internet cloud control.