Down here in Florida we always turn off the water when we are out traveling. Not for the freezing aspect but since we live in a mobile home, plastic pipes do get brittle through time. The peace of mind that the water is off is priceless. We also turn off the hot water tank just to be safe. If the water drains from it and it is left on it will do damage to the tank itself. Also this past year we added a dropcam. We set it to pick up movement, sound and if it goes off line. It will call us on our smart phones and advise of what tripped it and we get to look in on the house whenever we want. No monthly fee but it needs internet connection. We love it.