The holidays are here, and that means lots of winter travel is underway. We all deserve a nice break at this time of year! Unfortunately, a lot of folks leave home and then return to major plumbing issues, like a busted water tank or frozen pipes. These issues can wreak havoc on a house, especially when you aren’t there to stop the damage right away. How can you prepare before your trip to reduce the risk of a big plumbing problem while you’re away? We have some tips for prepping your plumbing before leaving on your vacation.
One of the major issues people deal with in winter is frozen pipes. This problem can cause absolutely massive and costly damage, so it’s a good idea to do everything you can to prevent it. How? There are several things you can do.
1) Keep the heat on. This may seem like a waste of money if you’re not going to be in the house for several days or weeks, but it’s absolutely vital to making sure your home doesn’t get too cold, which can lead to frozen water damage. You don’t have to keep it cranked up to your normal levels if no one will be there, but don’t ever turn the heat off completely. It should always be set above 50 degrees, no matter what.
2) Double-check your insulation. For areas of your home that aren’t lived in, like attacks and unfinished basements, there may not be enough insulation to keep pipes from getting cold enough to freeze. Make sure those areas of your home are properly insulated enough to avoid that. You may want to wrap the pipes themselves, or you can insulate the room itself, which may end up saving you money on your heating bills. You can also try heating tape, which is a “tape” that can be applied to pipes that warms them with electricity. However, heating tape can be dangerous when left unsupervised, so use with caution and never leave it on full-time when you won’t be home.
3) Keep bedroom and bathroom doors open. This may feel strange if you normally keep your interior doors closed, but keeping them open helps heat flow through the house better and access areas that may get too chilly otherwise.
4) Patch up holes in your home. A no-brainer, maybe, but even small holes and cracks made by rodents or normal wear and tear can leave your pipes exposed to weather that will make them freeze. Get those holes repaired!
Once you’ve taken care of preventative measures for frozen pipes, you can also shut down your water heater as long as there’s no risk of the water freezing. If your water heater is located in an unheated area like a garage, this is risky, but if you have an indoor heater that will stay warm, turning the system down or completely off will save you on some utility bills and lower the risk of a big leak when you’re not around to catch it.
If your home doesn’t have any plumbing that must remain on, you can consider turning the water off completely. If you do this, be sure to run your faucets to expel any remaining water, because you don’t want water sitting in your pipes. If you’ll be gone for an extended vacation, this may be something to consider. Just remember to turn it back on when you get back!
These are a few great ways to prevent big plumbing problems while on your winter vacation. Do you have any other questions about how to prepare for your trip? Ask away!
