Should I Drain My Water Heater When I Go on Vacation?

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give your water heater much thought—until it stops working. Then, you have to scramble to find a plumber who can come and fix it. To avoid this headache (and the expense), some people drain their water heaters before going on vacation.

What's the right way to leave a water heater during vacation?

If you’re planning to go on vacation, you may be wondering if you should drain your water heater. The answer depends on a few factors, including how long you’ll be gone and whether or not your home is equipped with an automatic shut-off valve. If you’ll be gone for more than a week, it’s generally recommended that you drain your water heater.

This will help prevent rust and corrosion while also saving energy. If your home has an automatic shut-off valve, you won’t need to worry about draining the water heater since it will turn off automatically when there’s no water flow. If you’re only going to be gone for a short time, draining your water heater may not be necessary.

However, if you have an older model that isn’t very energy-efficient, it may be worth doing in order to save some money on your energy bill.

What are the Benefits of Draining My Water Heater When I Go on Vacation

Assuming you have a traditional tank-type water heater, there are several benefits to draining it before vacation: 1. To prevent sediment buildup. Over time, hard water leaves mineral deposits (sediment) at the bottom of your tank.

This can cause your heater to become less efficient and eventually break down. Draining the tank gets rid of this sediment. 2. To prevent corrosion.

Sediment can also lead to corrosion of the metal components in your water heater, which will shorten its lifespan. 3. To improve efficiency and save money on your energy bill. A clean water heater is more efficient than one with sediment buildup, so you’ll use less energy and save money on your utility bills.

4 Finally, if you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, it’s just good practice to drain the tank to prevent any problems while you’re gone (e.g., freezing temperatures could crack the tank).

How Often Should I Drain My Water Heater

It’s generally recommended that you drain your water heater once a year. This helps to remove any sediment that has built up over time and can help improve the efficiency of your heater. Draining your water heater is a pretty simple process, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, be sure to turn off the power to your water heater before you start draining it. Then, attach a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and open the valve to let the water out. Once all of the water has been drained, close the valve and turn the power back on.

Will Draining My Water Heater Save Energy And Money

If you have an electric water heater, then draining it completely will save you money on your energy bill. The reason for this is that when water is heated, it expands and becomes less dense. This causes the water at the bottom of the tank to be hotter than the water at the top.

By draining your water heater, you are getting rid of all of the hot water at the bottom of the tank, which means that your water heater won’t have to work as hard to heat up new water. If you have a gas water heater, draining it completely is not going to save you any money on your energy bill. In fact, if you do this too often, it can actually shorten the lifespan of your water heater.

This is because when there is no water in the tank, the burner has nothing to heat up. This causes the burner to overheat and can damage other parts of your gas water heater.

What are the Risks of Not Draining My Water Heater before Vacation

One of the risks of not draining your water heater before vacation is that you may come home to find that it has leaked. This could be a result of a faulty valve or a crack in the tank. If this happens, you will need to pay for repairs as well as any damages that may have occurred.

Additionally, if the leak is severe enough, you may need to replace your entire water heater. Another risk is that sediment can build up in the tank over time. This can eventually lead to corrosion and leaks.

Draining your water heater on a regular basis helps to prevent this from happening. Finally, if you have an electric water heater, there is a risk of shock if the element is left on while there is no water in the tank. Always remember to turn off power to the unit before draining it.

Conclusion

If you’re wondering whether or not you should drain your water heater when you go on vacation, the answer is: it depends. If you’re gone for more than two weeks, then draining your water heater can help prevent rust and mineral buildup. However, if you’re only gone for a week or less, there’s no need to worry about draining your heater – just be sure to turn it down to the “vacation” setting.