Summary
As the holiday season approaches, you may be one of many homeowners planning a well-deserved vacation. Cold temperatures can wreak havoc on both outdoor and indoor plumbing, and so it’s essential to take some precautionary steps before you leave in order to prevent significant damage. Preparing your home for winter vacations gives you peace of mind while you’re away and helps prevent costly repairs.
Looking for plumbing services in Dallas, Fort Worth, or Austin metro area? Call Team Enoch today!
Table of Contents
• Protect Your Pipes
• Keep Your Home and Roof Warm
• Inspect Sump Pump and Water Heater
• Implement Safety Measures
• Take Emergency Precautions
- Before you go on holiday vacation, make sure you have sturdy plumbing throughout your house by checking your entire plumbing systems for wear and tear, particularly if there’s been a considerable amount of snow and ice.
- Avoid water damage by turning off your water supply. Shut off necessary water valves so that there’s no damage to these water systems. Consider completely turning off your water supply if no one will be in the home for an extended period of time. But, if your home is protected by a fire sprinkler system, do not turn off the water to this system.
- If a pipe leaks or bursts while you are away, it could cause severe damage. Water taps, such as your dishwasher and washing machine, are typically left on at all times. Turn off valves to all sinks and these specific taps. Once you’ve shut off the valve, make sure there’s no water running when you turn back on the taps.
- Switching off your hot water system will keep gas bills lower in your absence. Consult with your heating professional to determine if it’s safe to turn off the water supply for your particular heating system.
- Drain your indoor and outdoor pipes by flushing your toilet to clear water from your tank and bowls and opening your faucets. Contact a trusted plumbing professional to confirm that your pipes have been drained. Your plumber can blow compressed air through your pipes. Ask them whether they would recommend pouring non-toxic antifreeze rated for plumbing systems in toilet tanks and bowls to prevent any remaining water from freezing and cracking.
Keep Your Home and Roof Warm
- If your water supply stays on and you decide against draining your water pipes, keep your furnace running to help ensure your house stays warm, preventing frozen pipes.
- Your floors and walls are where your water piping is likely located. By setting your internal home temperature above freezing levels—at 55°F or higher—you’ll keep your interior floors and wall cavities warm. Also, by keeping your room and cabinet doors open, you’ll help heat circulate and warm areas where your main pipes are located.
- If the temperatures drop while you're away, have a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor inspect your roof for ice dams and any possible leaks inside. Provide them with your contact information as well as your local roofing experts if repairs or service are needed.
Inspect Sump Pump and Water Heater
- Place more water into sump pit to increase its water level and continue to check that your pump is pushing out adequate amounts of water. Ensure that your system is ejecting water properly before you leave your home. Before a problem arises, contact a plumbing professional that services sump pumps for advice.
- Set your water heater on “vacation” mode. This will prevent your water heater from working overtime. However, maintain electrical power if it keeps your heating system running.
- Or, if you’d prefer, turn off your heat source and water supply to hot water heaters. You can install a water flow and low temperature sensor on your main water supply pipe which connects a sensor to a monitored alarm system or your smartphone application.
Implement Safety Measures
- Make your home look occupied. Leave at least one light in your house on a timer and install a motion-activated sensor with fluctuating times and install an outdoor floodlight.
- Either stop newspaper and mail service, or have a friend or trusted neighbor pick up your mail or solicitation notices that may be thrown on the porch.
- Wait until you return to post vacation photos on Social Media sites. Avoid making it public knowledge that your home is empty.
- Confirm that your alarm systems are activated and in working order. Secure external doors and windows with deadbolt locks or sturdy door frames. Install slide locks or other security locks on sliding glass doors.
- Store valuables in a safe deposit box or other offsite secure location.
- Recruit a friend or trusted neighbor to check on your home from time to time. Invite them to park on your driveway and plan on potential snow removal either from them or a hired service company.
Take Emergency Precautions
- Check electrical and battery operated devices and place monitored fire alarm smoke detectors on every floor. Test detectors for proper function on a regular basis.
- If your keep your electrical service on, consider having a licensed electrician inspect your wiring, outlets, and main electrical panel. This way, they can repair or replace defective equipment, as needed.
- Avoid needless and costly expenses by shutting off appliances while you’re away. To avoid fire hazards, unplug all electronic devices and small appliances.
Looking for Professional Plumbing Services in the Dallas Fort Worth or Austin area?
It is imperative to get all your plumbing checked periodically by professional plumbers so that your pipes are unclogged and all plumbing appliances are running smoothly. That way, you can enjoy your family vacation with peace of mind, knowing your home will be just as you left it once you return. If you come back to a leaky pipe or an overflowing toilet, however, get it professionally checked. Reaching out for help will allow you to avoid any mishaps and get help from professionals you can trust.
