Whether you’re looking to escape the cold, planning a getaway to enjoy winter sports, or thinking of a spa vacation, make sure your plumbing will be intact for your safe return.
It’s a good idea to have someone check your residence while you’re away. Some insurance policies require it. Review your policy to be sure.
Also, make sure the person you’ve selected has contact information for Plumbtech Plumbing in case of any plumbing emergencies
While away, your home may contact you on your cell phone to notify you of an issue with your water or fixtures.
If the main water supply doesn’t have an automatic water shut-off valve, consider installing one. It will turn off the water when it detects a leak or if water is flowing when it shouldn’t be. It will protect your home whether you are there or not. Many have app-based notifications for alerts to your cell phone and can monitor and be linked to your smart home system.
Many sump pumps have an alarm and wifi capability to alert you to potential issues – if it fails or isn’t working properly. The battery-operated alarm monitors the water level and sounds an alarm for high water or flooding. If it is capable of wifi alerts, check that the alarm is compatible with 5G.
Maybe you or your plumbing is more on the low-tech side. If you haven’t used your sump pump in a while or checked it recently, manually lift the float to make sure it still works. If your sump pump doesn’t have an alarm consider adding one. If the power goes out, the pump won’t work so a battery-operated backup sump pump will come on and if it doesn’t work an alarm will go off.
Before leaving home for any length of time, lower the thermostat, but leave it high enough to prevent the plumbing from freezing. If it’s wintertime, and any of your plumbing is on an exterior wall, contained in a cupboard, leave the door ajar to allow heat from the room to reach the enclosed water lines and drain pipes.
Turn off the breaker to the electric hot water tank in case something goes wrong with a line bursting or a fitting leaks. It prevents the element from burning out. You will still be left with water damage from the tank itself, even if the main water supply is turned off.
Before going away, it might be a good idea to survey your visible plumbing for any leaks and have them repaired. Check around all of your fixtures – toilets, taps, shower, washing machine, and water heater. Water on the floor could indicate a leak.
Also check your water meter because it has a “trickle indicator’, a small red or black triangle that will move to indicate a leak. Other signs of leaks include wetness on a waterline or any of its fittings, water on the floor, or if the floor has damp or cold spots the leak could be under the floor.
Some leaks, however, may not be as visible. To check your toilet, drop some food colouring, brewed coffee, or tea in the back of the toilet tank and wait 20-30 minutes without flushing. If coloured water appears in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.
If you have a seasonal residence, make sure any visitors, including family members, are aware of the protective measures you have put in place for the plumbing. Some preventative measures to prevent inadvertent use include taping the toilet seat down, turning off the breaker, and electrical switches to the water heater so that the element won’t burn out. Turn off any pump breakers too and mark them all “OFF” to prevent inadvertent use.
