3 Essential Tips to Prep Your Plumbing for Summer Vacation

Whatever your ideal vacation, summertime is perfect for getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and making new memories. But the last thing you want to deal with upon your return is a serious plumbing problem, or worse, a flooded house.

Even seemingly minor plumbing issues can rapidly worsen when left untreated, and the longer your home is left vacant, the likelier you are to experience a serious problem that requires costly repairs. Before your next vacation, make sure you properly prepare your plumbing system so you can enjoy the sun and fun without worrying about coming home to a potential disaster.

What to Do Before Leaving for Vacation

After you’ve packed up, take time to perform the following tasks before you lock up your home and head out:

1. Turn off your water. You won’t be needing your plumbing while you’re away, so you can shut off the main water valve in your home to prevent water waste and the potential for a flood situation due to a leak, clog, or burst pipe. If your home has a basement or crawlspace, you can usually find this valve on an interior wall close to where your main water supply pipe enters your home. If your home was built on a slab, check around your water heater, in your garage, or on your outside wall next to your water meter. The valve will either consist of a lever you close or a wheel you turn counterclockwise to shut off the water supply.

2. Turn off your water heater. Your water heater will continue to run and pressurize the water in your pipes unless you turn it off. Some newer models feature a vacation mode that lowers the temperature of the unit and supplies just enough power to keep the pipes from freezing. In the summer, you can simply turn off the unit. Turn off a gas water heater by adjusting the thermostat dial to the off position, and turn off an electric water heater by flipping the dedicated water heater circuit at your home’s circuit breaker.

Enjoy Your Vacation With Confidence

If you are going on a long vacation, you should consider having your plumbing system inspected before you go to ensure there are no underlying issues that could become catastrophic while you’re away. Contact D. Rohde Heating, Plumbing & AC today to schedule a consultation with our expert team and you will be sure to enjoy your vacation with confidence and peace of mind.