[2008] How low do you set your thermostat when you're gone?

[DeniseM]

But the info is still germane.

Phil - since this is a first post from a newbie, I am a bit suspicious....

 

[JoeWilly]

We just got some winter tips from our insurance company and it said don't set the thermostat below 55.

 

[ljane]

We live in Pennsylvania. We leave our house temp. set at 55. We also have the water company come and shut our water off, when we are ready to leave the house. Most home's have a shut off valve away from the main water line. Our's is buried in the ground in our front lawn, next to the main city water line. Once they shut the water off, we drain all our water lines inside the house. For the water company this is a simple proceedure. It takes about 10 minutes total. They have a special tool to locate the shut off valve, and dig about 3 inch round hole to get down to the valve to shut is off. They also put the plug of grass and dirt they dig out back into the ground. It doesn't leave a hole and your yard it not damaged.
Then we leave worry free about pipes freezing. Before we return home, we call and tell them when we will be home, and schedule a turn on time.

I dont know if all water company's do this but, it really helps us.

ljane

 

[philemer]

We live in Pennsylvania. We leave our house temp. set at 55. We also have the water company come and shut our water off, when we are ready to leave the house. Most home's have a shut off valve away from the main water line. Our's is buried in the ground in our front lawn, next to the main city water line. Once they shut the water off, we drain all our water lines inside the house. For the water company this is a simple proceedure. It takes about 10 minutes total. They have a special tool to locate the shut off valve, and dig about 3 inch round hole to get down to the valve to shut is off. They also put the plug of grass and dirt they dig out back into the ground. It doesn't leave a hole and your yard it not damaged.
Then we leave worry free about pipes freezing. Before we return home, we call and tell them when we will be home, and schedule a turn on time.

I dont know if all water company's do this but, it really helps us.

ljane

How much do they charge you? You can also buy a "valve/water key" at a hardware store and turn it off yourself.

 

[John Cummings]

I just turn the heat off as freezing pipes is not a problem here. I don't change the water heater.

 

[Passepartout]

55 and shut off the incoming water supply valve. Nothing more. We've had the basement flooded twice, once from a water heater leak and once from downstream sewer blockage. Ewww yuck!

Jim Ricks

 

[RDB]

I have a boiler with 5 heating zones that distribute heat by circulating hot water to the baseboards. Would it be a good idea to shut off the well pump and drain the well tank in case the power goes out and the pipes freeze. This way I won't have a broken pipe being fed water when the power comes back on. Will the boiler still function without pressure from the supply side?

Mike

Mike, WELCOME.

You ask, "Will the boiler still function without pressure from the supply side?"
I would think so so long as there's no pressure drop.

I ask, Will your boiler work with the power off? Will that system freeze without heat?

I would think you need a backup system to assure you are covered. Having friends helping to fire up the backup can be handy.

As I posted last year, "When we lived in Cadillac, MI, I treated the house as though everything would freeze while we were gone... Seems as though while you're away, electric goes out or that's when lines break... always something!

So, I suggest you treat for everything freezing, just to have peace of mind. Plants go to someone else. Drain all water including the water tank(s) and treat traps and commodes. Set heat to minimum. That way, if you lose heat you're covered. To me it's worth the effort, just to know we aren't flooded or froze up while we're off somewhere enjoying life."

 

[ljane]

Phil,
We do have a "valve/water key" but the city considers this their water line. Being it is their line, we are not allowed to shut it off ourselves. I believe they charge us $10.00 to shut off and $10.00 to turn back on.
Ljane

 

[John Cummings]

Phil,
We do have a "valve/water key" but the city considers this their water line. Being it is their line, we are not allowed to shut it off ourselves. I believe they charge us $10.00 to shut off and $10.00 to turn back on.
Ljane

I have never heard of that one before. We have a valve on our main water line to the house that is in a cement box in our lawn about 4 feet from the sidewalk. We can turn it on and and off whenever we want to. That has been the same in every house we have owned.