Water heating systems generally require a lot of energy to run. For this reason, more & more environmentally conscious people (& those who want to lower their bills) are learning how to put their water heater into “vacation mode” with the idea of saving energy.
So what exactly is vacation mode & where do you find it on your system?
Water Heater Vacation Mode: What Is It?
Vacation mode is a special setting on the water heater system that enables you to run the water heater’s boiler at lower temperatures than usual, resulting in energy savings. Typically, producers set vacation mode to 50° F, a bit below the warmth you require to heat your home, but hot enough to stop any water from freezing while you are away.
For specific systems, you won’t have to change manufacturer settings. If you need the water to run colder or hotter, you can very efficiently adjust a dial. But both ways, the aim is to decrease your water heater’s activity, cut down on power usage & lessen your bills while keeping your pipes from freezing & causing damage.
Where Do You Find Vacation Mode & How Do You Use It?
There are various methods that water heater companies use to put your device in vacation mode, with the king among these being a special setting on the thermostat itself.
Go to the thermostat & scroll through the menu to see if your device offers the vacation mode setting. If it does, then select it & the system will do the rest for you.
If there is no vacation mode explicitly detailed on your thermostat, you can manually do the same thing a vacation mode would do by turning the temperature down to “Pilot” mode & then leaving it there until you get back.
Why You Must Put Your Water Heater In Vacation Mode?
The primary purpose of putting the water heater in vacation mode is simply to save cash. There is no logic in heating your water to 120 degrees if you will not be present to use it. It is a loss of energy that pointlessly increases your bills.
The other motive is to stop freezing water from ruining your pipes in extended spells of cold weather. If you turn your water heating system off while you are away & the water freezes, you run the risk of cracks, damage to your plumbing & possibly the need to replace the entire system. As the ice increases in size, it destroys the surrounding piping & thus results in leaks.
If the above happens, your system will not work when you switch it on again, and you might end up with unfortunate flooding in your home. Locking the system to “Pilot” or “Vacation” preserves energy while also checking your water heater’s damage. It is a middle-ground between using no power at all & utilizing a little bit of heat to bypass extensive damage to your system.
So, as you can now see, vacation mode is a must-have feature of your water heater. Even if your water heater does not have a vacation mode in your thermostat settings, you can still decrease the temperature to guard your home while you are away.
If you want additional assistance with your water heater, make sure you operate with a professional service provider like Lone Star Water Services to get the water heater services you need to get your system back in working order. Contact our experts at Lone Star Water Services anytime & we will be happy to help you with your water heater needs.
