If you’re going to be away from your home for an extended period of time, you can save money by making sure your plumbing isn’t active. Turning off your plumbing and fixtures is also a smart way to ensure you won’t come home to costly leaks or burst pipes that could cause significant damage to your home and cost a small fortune to repair.
The easiest thing you can do to ensure your plumbing won’t cause problems while you’re away is to turn off your plumbing in and around your home.
Here is a checklist of things you should consider turning off or maintaining when you leave town for Spring Break, or for any other reason.
General Plumbing: Turn off your main water valve either at the street connection or on the valve inside your home. This reduces the risk of any damage from a broken pipe or fixture when a you are away even for a few days. If your sprinkler system is on a separate meter, you can usually leave this line open while the supply to the house is turned off. If you’ll be gone a long time, consider having a friend come by to run the water once a month to keep your plumbing in good condition.
Faucets (including spigots, sink and bathtub faucets): Make sure these are tightly closed so they’re not leaking and costing you money while you’re not around.
Water Heater: Set this to “vacation mode,” which will keep it operating but at a far lower intensity than normal.
Check for Leaks: Give all exposed pipes and other items a once-over in the days before you leave, and contact your plumber to fix them if you notice any problems.
Pool Pump: Turning your pool pump off can cause algae to build up in your pool. Opt instead to keep it running at optimal settings, and invite a friend over to check on the pool to make sure it’s operating properly if you plan to be gone more than a few days.
Spa: Turn down the temperature so you’re not paying for heating costs while you’re away.
At Zurn, we’re committed to saving you money by preventing problems before they become disasters. Check out Spring Into Action with These Plumbing Tips to Save You Money This Season to learn more tips from us.
