[Catalina36]

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

[tonyt57]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

I

I put it on “ vacation” setting

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

I would call the gas company for suggestions. We do not have gas in the villages. We did in our previous home. We never went away for several months. You pay a basic fee every month so you, if your turn it down vs shutting off the gas the cost may not be much if anything. If, you shut it off the tank will shrink possibly causing a leak. You may want to drain the tank and shut off the water supply. I would put a large note to be sire you fill the tank before lighting the burner. If, I recall our gas hot-water heater had a small pilot light and a thermocouple preventing gas flow if the pilot light went out.

I would have a neighbor or pay for a service to be sure all is ok while you are gone.

[Decadeofdave]

Leave on pilot setting.

[cypress]

I shut it down and turn off the gas.

[Garywt]

Is it a tank or tankless? We have electric and I turn the breaker off and shut the water to the house off. I would not leave a tank heating if the water is shut off.

[coffeebean]

We were seasonal for three years as owners of our current home. We were gone nine months each year and kept the 40 gallon hot water heater on "vacation". We always turned of the main water to the house at the valve in the garage. We do this same routine even if we are away for a few days.

Oh....and if you have a hot water re-cirulation pump, turn that OFF before turning off the main water. We ruined one Watts pump by not doing that. It was explained to us by the plumber that the Watts pump needs water to "lubricate" it. Turning off the main water burned out the pump. Live and learn.

[thevillages2013]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

You are doing it right. Carry on. Also remember (for matters such as this )a lot of the advice you get on here will be what someone believes to be true even though they have no idea what they are talking about. Filter

[Gunny2403]

Nothing

[nemcekm]

put it on pilot setting this minimizes moisture in the burner area, gives quick restart of hot water.gas bill around $20 per month

[daca55]

I have been a snowbird for 10 years now. When I leave my house up north I shut my water off and I shut the gas off to the hot water heater. I also unplug the vent blower. Never had a problem and I don’t have to worry about gas leaks.

[HJBeck]

When we leave the main water shut off valve is turned to off, water pressure drained using any sink in the house to zero pressure, and water heater is turned off. Always!! Better safe then sorry.

[dougawhite]

Wow, brings back bad memories of closing down our tiny NH cabin for winter. Had to shut off and disassemble the well pump, drain the water from all pipes (ha ha, never got it all), drain water heater, empty fridge and leave doors open, pour antifreeze in toilet bowl and tank and all sink drains, put several mouse traps around.

[Laurel Maryland]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

I asked the same question to the plumber who recently installed a new gas hot water for me. He said leave it on "vacation" setting because if you turn the gas/heat off completely, scum starts to grow inside the tank.

[Albany]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

Wondering what other Snow Bird Owners are doing if anything with their Natural Gas Water Heater when you are away for several months or more???? Do You Shut Off the Natural Gas Supply Valve to the Water Heater???

Right now I have been leaving the Natural Gas on to the Water Heater and I just put the Water Heater Thermostat on the LOW setting.

Do NOT shut off the gas, you are doing it correctly. Just leave the water heater on low, which generally is around 80 degrees. If you shut off the gas you will need to empty the heater as the water in it could freeze. Water heaters do not like to be drained. We have been doing it this way for 10 years and it has been fine. Our other routine is to shut off the main water valve, drain the pipes, add a little RV antifreeze to all the traps including the toilets (it is pink) then go back through the house and leave every faucet on just a little big so if there IS any water left in the pipe it has someplace to go. Good luck from up here in the cold northeast.