DIYbanter - View Single Post - Worth Turning off the water heater while on vacation?

Nate Nagel

wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:30:43 -0800 (PST), runsrealfast
wrote:

i could just turn off the water heater then it
wouldn't run. I would just have to wait once we got back into town to
run hot water.

Sure. It should only take about 15-20 minutes to get enough hot water
for a quick shower or to do dishes and you should have the whole tank
hot in 1.5 hours 120 degrees from 50 (50 gallons with 5.5kw heat
elements, 70 degree delta, ~28000 BTU)

The old idea that it costs more to heat up a tank than to turn off the
power, simply doesn't pass the laugh test for anyone who understands
physics.

I just got back from out of town; due to several escapades with plumbing
I decided to turn the main valve off, crack the faucet in the basement,
and turn off the water heater before I left just for the simple reason
that I didn't want to come back to a flooded basement (see my previous
post, I have reason to be gunshy as my furnace is now trying to dampen
my basement experience) I came home at exactly 6:00 yesterday evening
and my hot water heater had cycled and gone back to pilot by 6:30. Now
the *furnace* was still running at that point (had been set at 55
degrees while we were gone) but the house was nice 'n' toasty after
getting back from dinner.

nate

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