[Hifred]

We are leaving our house for 30 days. We have an electric hot water heater. When I shut off the water in the garage do I also have to shut off the electric that goes to the hot water heater from the circuit breaker? Not sure if there is a possibility that if the hot water heater tries to pull water if it could burn it out?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Hifred

We are leaving our house for 30 days. We have an electric hot water heater. When I shut off the water in the garage do I also have to shut off the electric that goes to the hot water heater from the circuit breaker? Not sure if there is a possibility that if the hot water heater tries to pull water if it could burn it out?

I shut off the breaker to the hot water heater when I leave my house for more than a few days.

The hot water heater doesn't try to pull water, it really doesn't pull anything, the pressure from the line pushes water into it. With the water shut off there will be no water pushed into the heater.

There is a small chance a leak will develop and the tank would drain. if that happened and the heating element was exposed then it could burn out. The chance of that leak happening is very small but why take the chance - turn off the breaker for the hot water heater.

I turned mine off because I had no need for hot water during that time and so I didn't want to pay to heat it. It may have only saved me a few cents, but flipping the breaker is easy enough so why not do it?

[Keefelane66]

Home owner 101.

[Garywt]

Whenever we leave we shut off water, water heater and set the AC at 80.