My parents bought a place at the shore. I was thinking it would be a
good idea to turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater when
we're going to be gone for a month. Generally we don't go there during
the winter all that often, althought over New Years might be a good
idea. Either way, should we turn off the power to the WH unit?
What about turning off the water to the whole place? I don't intend to
drain the water heater though, I know thats a bad idea.

wrote in message
oups.com...
My parents bought a place at the shore. I was thinking it would be a
good idea to turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater when
we're going to be gone for a month. Generally we don't go there during
the winter all that often, althought over New Years might be a good
idea. Either way, should we turn off the power to the WH unit?
What about turning off the water to the whole place? I don't intend to
drain the water heater though, I know thats a bad idea.

I would turn off the water heater when I was not there.

Some utilities have special plans for vacation properties they do save some
bucks here.

Some breakers are rated to be used as switches, but residential type usually
are. Doing once in a while is probably okay.
I put a switch on my cottage water heater, and I put it in a more convenient
place than the circuit box. Assuming access isn't a problem it is simple
enough, but if I had it to do again I would have used a relay and put the
switch at the front door.

Turning off all the power is fine, but probably unnecessary; I don't even do
it in the winter when I won't be there for several months. (If there is an
electrical problem, I would rather fine out when I am NOT there...)

In article , "Toller" wrote:
Some breakers are rated to be used as switches, but residential type usually
are.

You mean, "residential type usually are NOT."

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Toller" wrote in message
...
Some breakers are rated to be used as switches, but residential type
usually are. Doing once in a while is probably okay.
I put a switch on my cottage water heater, and I put it in a more
convenient place than the circuit box. Assuming access isn't a problem it
is simple enough, but if I had it to do again I would have used a relay
and put the switch at the front door.

Turning off all the power is fine, but probably unnecessary; I don't even
do it in the winter when I won't be there for several months. (If there
is an electrical problem, I would rather fine out when I am NOT there...)
"residential type usually are" should be "residential types usually aren't"
That's completely different, never mind

wrote in message
oups.com...
My parents bought a place at the shore. I was thinking it would be a
good idea to turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater when
we're going to be gone for a month. Generally we don't go there during
the winter all that often, althought over New Years might be a good
idea. Either way, should we turn off the power to the WH unit?
What about turning off the water to the whole place? I don't intend to
drain the water heater though, I know thats a bad idea.


As long as there is sufficient heat in the dwelling to prevent freezing you
needn't
drain the lines. If not, you should drain the lines, water heater and
toiled tanks
and add RV anti-freezed to the sink and toilet traps.

Don't forget to trun off water to washing machine

"C & M" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
My parents bought a place at the shore. I was thinking it would be a
good idea to turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater when
we're going to be gone for a month. Generally we don't go there during
the winter all that often, althought over New Years might be a good
idea. Either way, should we turn off the power to the WH unit?
What about turning off the water to the whole place? I don't intend to
drain the water heater though, I know thats a bad idea.


As long as there is sufficient heat in the dwelling to prevent freezing
you
needn't
drain the lines. If not, you should drain the lines, water heater and
toiled tanks
and add RV anti-freezed to the sink and toilet traps.

tj wrote:
Don't forget to trun off water to washing machine



We turned off the water to the whole place, and set the electrical heat
to OFF, which means it will still trigger if the temperature hits 40
degreed F. Its an apartment building so I don't see that happening.

Turn off the WH, why pay to keep it hot. Better yet get a gas tankless
you will only heat what you use. Turn off water at the main a leak could
ruin your place , at 5 gallon a minute you would leak 50000 gallons a
week, enough for a big swimming pool.