If you’re planning to head out of town soon for vacations, you’re awesome! During our Canadian winters we experienced some frigid temperatures, which result in many frozen pipes and thousands of headaches for homeowners that came home to a messy situation. While we probably won’t see consecutive days of negative degree temperatures for a few months, plumbing issues can still occur when you least expect it.
We’ve gathered a list of pre-vacation tips to avoid plumbing problems while you’re out of town!
1. Check your laundry machine hoses
Believe it or not, the life expectancy of a laundry machine hose is roughly 3 years. Before you leave for vacation, make sure you visually inspect the hose for any cracks or a major calcium deposit build up.
2. Leave your heat ON!
Even though it’s getting warmer outside the nights still tend to get fairly cold. Make sure your heat is set to at least 60 degrees to prevent any pipes from freezing.
3. Visually inspect your water heater
If you see any water on the floor before you leave, make sure to give us a call. This could be a sign that your water heater needs to be replaced or repaired.
If there are no visible signs of a leak, you can always turn your water heater off or put the system in vacation mode if possible.
4. Is your sump pump working? And do you have a backup system in case it fails?
They say “April showers bring May flowers.” Make sure you’re ready for the first part! Follow these simple tips to ensure that you system is working properly. If you don’t have a backup system, read more about your options. A battery backup system may be a basement saver!
5. Prevent odors from happening
The last thing you want to come home to is a foul odor emanating from your drains! Do yourself a favor and pour a little bit of drain maintenance product down your drain prior to leaving. It’s also important that you run your water and garbage disposals a few times while doing this so food particles can properly wash away.
6. If you’re gone for several weeks, consider shutting off your main shut off valve.
By turning off your main shut off valve, you’re not allowing any water to enter your home. If you decide to do this, make sure you open up your faucets and drain the remaining water out.
7. Provide a list of emergency contact numbers!
If you have a friend, family member, or neighbor stopping by to check on your house while you’re gone, make sure you provide them with a list of emergency contacts… including your plumber! Flush Masters is a great first choice.
