toller wrote:
As was mentioned just turn the power off when you are not going to be
there.

My wife always starts the dishwasher just before we leave, so as to not
waste the remaining hot water, so we kinda need the power. I can't have
my
cake and eat it too; maybe turning off the power (or at least the well) is
better than saving a little electricity/hot water.

Unless you need to heat the home or some other devices in the home, I
suggest truing it all off. That will eliminate any number of possible
electrical problems that could cause a fire. Of course I would not do it
for just a day or two, but for a month I sure would. Of course if you are
not shutting off the WH before she does the dishes, you are not saving
anything.

Talk her into running the dishwasher a hour or so before you leave. You
can turn off the power to the WH right before she running the dishwasher.
If you are not truing off the power to the WH, she is not saving anything
anyway. Turning off the power to the home may save you considerably more
than the little saved by running the dishwasher as you leave.

You may want to consider checking with your power company. Some will
offer a savings if you have then shut down the power, but eliminating the
monthly minimal charge.


I would install a simple sediment filter on the water line they are
inexpensive and do save lots of headache with clogged aerators it will
also
tell you if you are sucking sand which does happen.

There are filter on it now, but the water heater is apparently still full
of
old debris that no amount of flushing seems to eliminate completely.

Why do you think there is debris in the WH?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math