Heading out of town for a holiday vacation? Before you go, you’ll need to prep your home’s plumbing.
If you plan on being away from your home for more than a week, a bit of prep will ensure you won’t experience any major plumbing issues while away.
To avoid arriving home to a water logged floor, here’s our checklist you can use to prevent any plumbing issues from occurring. The process will be quick, painless and easy. We promise.
For some home plumbing-stress free vacationing, read further down below:
Shut-Off the Water Supply
For short weekend getaways, there’s nothing to worry about. But, if you’ll be gone for a while, you’ll want to shut off your water supply.
This step is the most simple, single best thing you can do to prevent a flood from occuring while you’re away.
Things will eventually break, there’s no escaping that reality. That said – say you happen to have a faulty pipe or plumbing fixture break and leak while you’re away.
By having the water supply off, you ensure no water leaks out. A burst pipe or a leak while you’re away can be very damaging to your home.
Doing this simple task will effectively prevent any potential damage from happening if your plumbing system were to break down.
If you are unable to shut off the main water supply to your home, you can turn off the water at each individual fixture instead.
Outdoor Fixtures
After you’ve shut the water off from the main water supply, head outside and prepare any outdoor plumbing fixtures if you have any.
You’ll want to disconnect hoses and drain out any remaining water from outdoor faucets. If you have a sprinkler system, shut it off.
Prepping your outdoor fixtures prior to your vacation will help prevent any damage and leaks from occurring.
Drain and Disconnect Water Heater
The best time to schedule a maintenance check-up for your water heater is before leaving on vacation.
A plumber will check your water heater for any leaks or damage and even help you with draining it.
If you have no time or already had a water heater inspection done that year, you can turn the water heater off or set it to ‘vacation’ mode.
Traditional water heaters running on either electricity or natural gas are likely the largest energy consuming appliance in your home.
By turning it off, you’re not only preventing the potential of a flood, but you also help save money during long periods of absence.
Clean Out Drains & Gutters
Over time, gunk and debris accumulating in your drains and gutters can give you trouble while you are away.
Remove debris from your gutters before leaving for vacation to prevent the accumulation of rain water on your roof. Clean gutters will help prevent flooding by stopping rain water from getting into your home.
Clearing out your drains of gunk will help prevent food scraps and residue from sitting in your drain. Last thing you want is to come back home to a pungent smelling kitchen.
Check Home Fixtures & Appliances
Best to check and inspect your home plumbing fixtures and appliances before you hop on that plane.
You’ll want to look for any leaks or damage. Having something break down while you are away can potentially be costly and damaging.
Consider turning off the water supply to individual appliances and fixtures, like your washing machine and toilet. This way, you prevent the water from stagnating and becoming foul.
Sump Pump
If you currently reside in a flood prone area, you’ll want to test and make sure your sump pump is operating correctly.
All it takes is for one really bad storm to hit and you’ll be dealing with a flood when you’re back. Not exactly the best post-vacation situation to be in.
To test your sump pump – you can easily do this by dumping a bucket of water into the pit. Check to see it properly turns on and pumps out water.
Sump pumps usually fail due to debris entering the sump pit. Periodically clean the sump pit to avoid any drainage issues.
Have a neighbor you trust check on it whenever there is a storm in the area. Consider also a back-up battery or generator for your sump pump. This would come especially handy during a power outage.
Plumbing Repair with True Service Plumbing
If you’re currently experiencing a plumbing issue or require expert advice, call our professionals at True Service Plumbing.
We are available 24/7 to take your call and respond to emergencies as quickly as possible.
Our licensed plumbers will assess your home’s plumbing system and determine the root cause of your issue, and perform the services necessary to get your plumbing up and running again.
From burst pipes, leaky faucets, to drain rooting and more – True Service Plumbing has your back when it comes to all things plumbing.
