Snowbirding

Upon returning after 6 mo. the only major problem was the water heater pilot was out. I left it in the pilot position when we left. My neighbor pointed out it has a vacation position. Is it better to use vacation position, leave it in pilot position or turn it completely off?

Learned our lesson with the water softener last year, left it on vacation, it lost it's setting with a power failure and reverted to the default cycling three times a week on power up. Unplugged it this time and reprogrammed it on return.

If I could just get the wife to go with plastic plants we could turn the water off and not have the neighbor watering them.

Wish I could talk he into cleaning out and shutting off the fridge also.

There was a temperature sensor out there that calls a phone when the temp. goes down. Anyone use one of these?

Reply to
Questor
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You didn't know your pilot was out until you got back?

When I go on vacation, I shut off the pilot and disconnect the gas. I have to wait for the water to heat up when I stop for a shower, but I think it's safer to disconnect the gas before putting the water heater in the car.

Reply to
J Burns

You do the same with the gas clothes dryer. right? How about the water line on the ice cube maker in the fridge?

Joe

Reply to
Joe

For 6 months as long as you dont mind lighting it turn it off, its no big deal either way but if it was me id just shut the gas off at the main, then there wont be any leaks or gas problems anywhere, like stove, heating system, dryer, water heater, etc. If its an earthquake area I would do the gas main even for a week end, but im not in a quake area. Was the water main shut off, thats even more important, I know of people that have come back to flooded homes

Reply to
ransley

"Missionaries teach the natives to use the vacation position". (I know... not funny, Chris....)

The vacation position will use more gas. I don't see any real advantage. Having a neighbor check the house every couple days is excellent idea. If there aren't a lot of flowers, maybe the neighbor could bring a jug of water from home as needed. Then you could shut off the water. Much safer having the water off. Less likely to have a pipe burst, and flood the place.

This from experience: One friend of mine, caretaker for a relative's house which had the power off, during the bitter cold winter. We drained the pipes, and put antifreeze in the traps. He shut off the valve to the toilet, and the pipe from the valve to the toilet still had water. Froze, burst. Not a big deal, but reminds us to leave the toilet valve open when draining pipes.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

It's nice to have a neighbor check on your house. If you go away for a week, you can ask the neighbor to check inside the house at mid-week to make sure everything's ok.

Reply to
Mikepier

So, instead of leaving the gas line connected to the WH, you disconnect it. Leave it open, so that if the valve has a problem, it will release natural gas into your house? Not smart.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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