Drain the hot water heater or not?????
 

Leaving the house for a couple months at a time............do I drain the hot water heater or just shut it off???:read:

I would turn off the hot water heater electric at the main circuit box, and shut the main water off in the garage, no need to drain (IMO). You might consider unplugging tv's/cable if you don't have surge protection.

Agree shut off the breaker, can't hurt to drain off 5 gal when you return, there may be buildup.

you will find you will have fewer problems if you DO NOT drain the heater...seals drying out, etc. They were designed to hold water not just pass it thru to heat.

Turn off the power or gas to the heater. When you restart upon return just let the water run for a few minutes to clear out the standing water in the lines etc.

btk

Don't mess with the hot water tank - just shut it off & make SURE you shut off the main water valve located in the garage all near the garage door!!
MV

Thanks for the replies.................still shut off the water main when you have "house watchers" coming in and cleaning toilets??........are most of them willing to work with the main??

don't drain ours
 

for our gas hot water heater - we turn off the main water valve in the garage and move the heat setting to "vacation."

I always turn off the water main. Nothing can create a disaster faster that a water break. One friend in TV had the small pipe at the back of the toilet leak in their master bath. The person who checked their house weekly found water through the entire home.

Turning the water off is a pet peeve of mine as I have several friend's horror stories. A few years ago, my home watcher knew I was returning sometime the following week. On Friday sent me my weekly email and said: "things look great, welcome home and I turned on the water for your return". They were great folks and believed they were doing me a favor. I asked them to do me a another favor and please return and turn the water main off. They did and I slept a little better....

PS. I just turn our water heater down, works for us, but that does not seem to be the consensus.

I leave my CYV a couple of times per year, longest for 3 months during the summer. I trip the breaker to turn off the water heater. Also unplug my TV's and turn off the water to the house. Irrigation is a separate system so your lawn and plantings will still be watered.

I was advised by our builder to turn off the hot water tank, pull the breaker, then run the hot water out and replace it with cold water. Then you can turn off the main water in your garage. If you let the hot water sit in the tank for the shut down period of your home, when you come back to open up your home and turn on the water, the hot water will have a skunky, rotten egg smell.

Turn it off...no reason to have it doing ANY heating of water. Just pop the breaker. I pop all but what need to be on.

I concur with E-Flyer.