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Posted by Joseph Meehan on November 16, 2007, 8:03 pm
Fuel (electric gas or oil) should be shut off to the water heater. Why
would there be a need for water?
If you are really concerned, you can drain the pipes and use RV
antifreeze for the drains to freee proof your home.
Extreme temperatures can damage some building components and furniture
so you may want to keep the heat on, but if you are careful, including
removing caned goods etc. you should be able to turn that off also. I guess
it is a trade off of possible problems with the heating system or damage
from the cold. Of course turning it off will save energy cost.
> I'm moving in a month, and my current house will be empty until I sell it
> in the spring. I'm concerned about two plumbing issues 1) frozen pipes if
> the furnace should happen to die when I'm not there 2) Hot water heater
> leaking, and having had that happen to me, I know how much of a mess that
> can make just overnight. What if it went undetected for a week! I'm
> probably more concerned about the water heater or random spontaneous leaks
> than a whole house freeze, since this is a row house in Maryland, so we're
> not talking sub-zero weather.
>
> So on to my question - if I turn the water off for the house, will that
> affect the water heater at all, say if it leaked? Would it matter that the
> the heating element was heating an empty tank? I suppose I could turn off
> the water heater, but I'm really intimidated by all things gas, and worry
> about how to relight it. It's a gas water heater, 6 yr old. I am going to
> be having some work done over the winter (paint, kitchen upgrade etc), so
> I suppose those people will need some water, even if it isn't hot water.
> Or can I turn the water off just to the heater, and stick a note on the
> sink to any repairmen saying they need to turn it on if they want hot
> water? Am I asking for trouble if I turn the water off to the house too
> often (like could it somehow break the spigot)?
>
> Sorry, I'm obviously not a do-it-yourselfer around the house, but I'm a
> great worrier <sigh>. And this probably isn't exactly a repair
> question.... more how to avoid a repair. I know the water heater isn't
> that old; it's just the idea that it could leak undetected for a week or
> more that concerns me. (And on that note, I guess I should turn off the
> spigots at the washing machine).
>
> Thanks.
--
Joseph Meehan
Dia 's Muire duit
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