Going On Vacation? Don’t Forget About Your Plumbing

Are you busy planning an end of year getaway for you and your family? Here are two things to add to your pre-vacation to-do list:

Shut Down Your Hot Water Heater

A traditional tank water heater that runs on electricity or natural gas, will be among the highest energy consuming appliances in your home. Shutting off your water heater, switching it to ‘vacation’ mode, or turning it to its lowest setting can prevent any issues arises while you are away and help you save on the next utility bill.
Leave yourself a reminder to turn your water heater back on when you return from vacation. It will take a little while to heat up a full tank of cool water, but it is worth the peace of mind.

Shut Off Your Water Supply

Broken plumbing is costly, and can cause catastrophic damage, especially if you are not at home to take action.  Shutting off your home’s water supply prevents all plumbing-related water damage.

The supply’s main shut-off valve is normally near the water meter or outside the home, below ground. If you can’t find your shut-off valve, your local plumber will be able to help you locate and shut off your water supply.

Before you leave on vacation, shut off the supply and open a faucet on the other end of the house to drain what water remains in the lines. When you return, reopen the main valve slowly to minimize the amount of pressure that would be placed on your pipes and fixtures as the water flow returns.

If you are leaving a sprinkler system or other plumbing system on when you are away, you will not be able to shut off the main supply. Instead, shut off the water supply valve for each fixture not in use to prevent isolated leaks inside the home.

Taking these two preventative measures means you can now rest assured that you will not receive any plumbing surprises when you return from vacation, as well as know you are saving money on your utility bills.