How to Keep Your Home Plumbing Healthy During Vacations

While vacations are often a time to relax and get away from it all, it is always important to get the plumbing taken care of before you leave. In this article, we will explore the top priorities for your holiday plumbing checklist.

Check for leaks: Leaks may not be immediately noticeable. Driving water into your home’s foundation can cause damage that you may or may not notice until the damage is too great to repair. When you go on vacation, make sure to check for leaks. If you need to leave your house for an extended period, you want to make sure that your house is not damaged by water. A leaky pipe can cost a lot of money and it’s difficult to find the source of the leak when it happens. So, before leaving town for more than a few days, check the faucets and pipes in your house. Make sure they are turned off so that no water is seeping out and damaging your foundation or flooring.

Clean drains: Blocked drains are another issue that should be dealt with before leaving your home unattended for weeks at a time. This can keep water from draining at all or create back-ups that cause flooding in other parts of your property as well as foul smells in your home when you finally return from vacation.

Turn off the water supply: When leaving for a planned vacation, it is always wise to turn off the water supply at home. This saves on water and energy bills, as well as any damages that can occur due to unrestrained water flow into your house. Empty all the faucet and pipes with any residual water and turn off the water supply of washing machines, dishwasher, toilets, and water heaters to be extra safe.

Keep your thermostat running: If you are leaving your home for a while, then you should not turn off the thermostat. This will save you money and make your home comfortable. In the summer, it is not necessary to turn off the thermostat because it can be left at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning off the thermostat in summer will overheat your home and cause unnecessary costs on air conditioning bills. When it is winter, don't turn off the thermostat too low or else pipes may freeze.

Give attention to your yard: Check that no visible tree roots are intruding on your sewage line before you depart for the summer. If you don't take care of it, it might lead to significant difficulties. Unless you're watering the lawn while you're away, it's better to drain and turn off the sprinkler system. A minor drip or leak can quickly build up to a large water bill. Plus, if you've previously turned off the water main valve, you won't have any water.

Prevent odors in your home: The last thing you would want to feel in your house after your relaxing vacation is foul smell. The key to preventing odors in your home is to clean odor emanating appliances and spots before you leave. Start with the garbage disposal. If you have food waste sitting in your sink, it will rot and start emitting a foul smell which will permeate through the rest of your home. To prevent this from happening, make sure to always run cold water and ice-cubes in the garbage disposal to push leftover food down. Next, empty your dishwasher and dish racks before leaving. This will prevent mold from growing on the dishes. If you see any mildew or mold growing on walls or surfaces, wipe them down with a bleach solution of 50% water and 50% bleach (or 1/4 cup bleach per gallon of water).

Request that someone check on your house: While you're away, have a friend, neighbor, or family member check in on your house. It will offer you some peace of mind while you are gone, so make sure you provide them a list of emergency contacts.