Important Reminders if Your Family Plans to Leave Home

Planning a vacation for a few days to weeks is normal, especially when you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. It usually happens once a year, and mostly the entire family goes out. Now, what happens to your plumbing system when you go away with no one left in the house. To avoid problems, in this article I will share with you important reminders before leaving home for a vacation.

The last item you would like to return home to after a soothing vacation is discovering the basement flooded and water is running out from under the front entrance. With nobody home to shut off the main, the water will still flow the whole time you’re away. Aside from the impact, the free-flowing water will spike your water bill, there might be other damage to your home.

Here are the important reminders you should do before leaving:

Turn Off the Water Main

There is no reason to keep the water on while you’re away. While you’ll certainly shut off individual valves under toilets and sinks, this doesn’t shut off water to the whole home.

What will happen if one of the water hoses on the back of the washer suddenly breaks? You can forgo shutting off individual valves, save time, and complete your vacation plumbing checklist more efficiently by simply shutting off the main.

According to a plumber in Venice, FL, the quote “better safe than sorry” also applies to our plumbing system.

Shut Off the Hot Water Heater

If you have a tank-based hot water heater, turn it off. You are not going to be home, so there is no need for hot water. Plus, the recent water will get to cycle periodically to stay water at your required temperature level. By turning it off, you can save money on your electric or gas bill. For electric models, there should be a switch near the hot-water heater you’ll flip off.

For gas models, simply turn the temperature setting all the way down therefore the pilot light remains lit. To shut off the electrical components within the heater, there should either be a switch next to the heater or flip the breaker off in your breaker box.

Inspect the Sump Pump

If you’ve got a sump pump in your basement, verify it’s working correctly. You can load it with water by splashing some in it until the pump should kick on. If it does, then you’re ready for your vacation. If not, then you’ll want to involve plumbing repair service, to avoid coming home to a flooded basement.

Slowly Activate Faucets to Empty Water Out of the Pipes

After shutting off the main and therefore the hot-water heater, you’ll want to get rid of the maximum amount of water from your plumbing as possible. Slowly open up faucets one at a time in the kitchen and bathrooms. Once the water is eliminated, remember to shut the faucets off. You should also flush the restroom to get rid of any water from the tank.