Vacations and Plumbing: A Pre-Vacation Plumbing Checklist

When you're planning an extended vacation, avoiding plumbing problems should rise to the top of your to-do list. If you leave your pipes full of water in a cold house, your pipes could burst and cause extensive damage. These simple plumbing tips can help you prepare.

1. Turn off the water flow. This is the most important item on your vacations and plumbing checklist. By stopping new water from coming in, you can ensure that any leaks you may have will be minor. Turn off the flow of water at the street, where your residential plumbing connects to the city system. If you cannot turn off the water at the street, ask your water department to shut off the water for you.
2. Drain the pipes. Open up each faucet and let the water in the pipes drain out. This can take several minutes. By ensuring that the pipes in your home are empty, you'll keep those pipes from freezing and will be well on your way to avoiding plumbing problems.
3. Leave one valve open. Look for the faucet that's at the lowest point of your home. A laundry sink in the basement would work well for this purpose. Leave this faucet in the open position, so air and water can drain while you're away.
4. Prepare your water heater. If you're planning to be gone for a month or more, open the valve on the bottom of your water heater and drain it completely. If you're only planning to be gone for a week or two, turn the water heater to its lowest setting.
5. Weatherproof your plumbing. When you're planning to be gone for several weeks, avoiding plumbing problems means using chemicals. Purchase RV antifreeze at your hardware store and dilute it as outlined on the packaging. Flush toilets and fill with antifreeze liquid. Pour more in your sink and bathtub drains.
6. Leave the heat on. Many of these plumbing tips focus on preventing pipes from freezing. If these plumbing tips seem too much to handle, consider leaving the heat on in your home instead and asking a neighbor to stop by and look for leaks periodically. This is the easiest way to tackle vacations and plumbing.