3 Home Plumbing Considerations Before Leaving On Vacation
Every hard working Canadian, at some point, deserves to “get away from it all” and go on a vacation. This might mean a summer vacation for you and the family, or maybe you are just going away with your spouse or partner on that whirlwind extended tour to immerse yourself in new food or culture.
Whatever the case is, if you are leaving home for more than just a weekend getaway, you may want to consider preparing your home, and your plumbing, for an extended absence. Why and how would you go about doing this? Let us explain.
Duration Matters
First, think about how long you are going to be away. A weekend trip or a short, overnight trip is probably not going to make a huge difference on your plumbing. If you are going away for a week—or even a month or more—you should probably think about making some plumbing preparation.
However, this is also dependent on whether there is going to be someone at home while you are away. If your teenage kids are staying behind, you won’t need to make plumbing arrangements because there will be someone in the house keeping an eye on things.
On the other hand, if you have pets, and you are engaging the services of a pet setter, letting the dogs, cats or other animals remain at home; this may also give you pause. Your pets will still need water, and you may not want a pet sitter having to bring over a water supply in order to do this. However, if your home is going to be completely empty, think about the following precautions.
Shut Off The Water Supply
If no one is going to be home, and no showers, dishes or laundry needs to get done, play it safe and shut down the main water line. This now means that even if something should happen with your pipes, such as a rupture, there’s no water in the pipes to leak out and damage the home while you are gone.
You’ll first need to locate your main water valve if you don’t already know the location. Once you’ve got it, shut off the water, and then turn your taps on in order to let any excess water flow out.
Drain Your Water Heater
If you are going away for a very long time, you might even want to empty out your water heater tank, or get an expert to do it for you, then inspect and maintain the tank. This way, you can save money on gas or electricity, as your heater won’t be heating up the same tank of water repeatedly. If you have a tankless system, this is, of course, unnecessary.
Check Your Gutters
If your gutters, eavestrough and downspouts are not clear of obstructions, this could result in a leaky basement while you are away. Make sure these roof support systems are working as intended, so that if a rainfall occurs while you are gone, it flows away from your house, instead of into it.
By taking these precautions, you’ll have peace of mind when you are away, and you won’t come home to any unexpected plumbing disasters. For help preparing your home for an extended absence, contact Drain Rescue Plumbers and speak with our experienced team.