Shut off water at home???

[Rbertalotto]

When you leave home for a few days, do you turn off the main water valve at your house?

[Rbertalotto]

Kinda like seatbelt logic...."won't happen to me"...??

[fj12ryder]

derh20 wrote:
One item not mentioned much is that all items that have water pressure to them need to be turned off, ie, toilets, sinks shower/bath if possible. The simplest way is turn off the main water to the house. For those that say they have traveled for 40 years without a problem, it only needs to happen once to make you a believer.

My point was that the odds of it happening are pretty slim. It hasn't happened in 40 years, with the water turned on all the time. That equates to very, very long odds. Yes, it could happen, and I would probably do it if I could remember. But if I don't remember I don't worry about it.

[dockmasterdave]

I too live in south fl. I build custom cabinetry and furniture.
I shut mine off every time we go for a couple days.
If other people did the same, I would lose a lot of work.

[eichacsj]

Anmacc2 wrote:
I live in South Florida so cold temps are never an issue, but I have never shut the water main. I also don't shut my washing machine valve or turn off my hot water heater. I don't unplug my appliances or electronics. I don't even shut off my ice maker. I don't do any of those things when I go to work or go out for the day and that's five or six days a week, every week. Now when I go away for a month.... Who am I kidding I don't do it then either. Life's too short to worry about anything and everything that might possibly go wrong. I have a friend who has made up check lists of things to do to prep his RV and close up his house when he leaves and things to do when he gets home... Not sure why. He never actually goes anywhere because it's too much work and too time consuming to do everything on his check lists.... Just my way. I'm sure others will disagree.

X3 love your write-up 🙂

[BBFD]

Our washer/dryer is on the second floor so YES when we go away for a week or two I shut off the water supply. Others may think it is mindless but a few seconds of effort could save a ton of damage....

[tpi]

Yes, too many incidents from friends/relatives regarding major leaks when they were gone (fridge icemaker systems more than once). I had valves installed separately for interior water and exterior water-so sprinklers can remain on when I'm gone. I've had neighbors shut that one off too due to problems.

[derh20]

One item not mentioned much is that all items that have water pressure to them need to be turned off, ie, toilets, sinks shower/bath if possible. The simplest way is turn off the main water to the house. For those that say they have traveled for 40 years without a problem, it only needs to happen once to make you a believer.

[USAFBILL]

I used to never turn mine when I left for the winter, then my neighbor came home to water running out from under the door and 3" of water in the entire house. Seems the little cheap plastic water line to the fridge water maker ruptured....who would have thought?

[Ductape]

Yes.

[travelnutz]

Yes, always turn the water off when we go away for even one night. We have a well and pump and I put a 3 way switch ot operate the pump on inplace of the normal on/off toggle switch. Why a 3 way switch? Was only about $11 and 15 minutes max and fits right into the same switch box. Down position is normal power on, center is power off, up links our aux generator to the pump in case of a power outage and assures no back feeds of electricity to the generator when the power comes back on. Labeled right on the switch cover with a felt tip pen prem marker. City water etc is just closing the water supply valve as we had that on some of our other properties. Piece of mind is precious and priceless!

I had wired the manual start gasoline 5500 watt aux generator circuit to run only the items and outlets we'd want/need if the power goes out which happens very seldom where we live but has happened for a day twice and for 2 days once in the last over 40 years so far but who knows what may occur in the future? Power has gone out a couple times for part of a day when a vehicle crash takes down a power pole that feeds us and it's hours before power is restored. Always prepared as things happen and why not be? I want to be in control our environment, not be on the outside looking in and wishing I was!

You never know when a water pipe or a connection etc will break somewhere and why take a chance? Murphy has it's own schedule and is always lurking and just waiting! I also always turn our gas water heater to pilot only because if any leaks occur in the pipes of the water heater, it will be low or out of water and then when the control calls for heating, it's more like a blowtorch until something melts etc. No fun coming home to ashes! Takes about 10 seconds to turn it up or down and eliminate the worry. Stable keeps the gas fresh and I use the gas in the tank for my lawn tractor etc and our boats so it's always fresh gas each year with Stable in it the keep it fresh. Never any fuel issues and the aux gen starts with one pull always!

[DutchmenSport]

jplante4 wrote:
Dutch - ... just requires that you supply water and attach a drain hose to the spigot between the circ pump and the rest of the piping....

Glad you've got a good handle on this! Thanks! You're right, the older systems are a real PITA!

[myredracer]

Define "a few days". Better check your insurance policy. Some insurers have specific "away" terms and your insurance can be void if the house is left unattended after a certain number of days. In some cases, it's only a few days. I think with some policies, having a neighbor or family member inspect your house every few days satisfies the requirements.

Good plan to turn the water off, esp. if on a well. Someone could have inadvertently left a faucet on. Happened to us last summer when someone did not properly shut off an outside faucet. Eventually drained our well and had to get a tanker truck in to refill it.

Washing machines are a high risk failure as well as water supply tubing to fridges. Installers sometimes forget or do not known how to properly install connect the sleeve and insert on the 1/4" line at the shutoff or fridge and the line can eventually suddenly let go. If nobody is home, that will cause extensive damage.

If your washing machine has rubber hoses, replace with S/S braided ones. Even then, they should be replaced about every 5 years.

[3oaks]

Yes.

[fj12ryder]

Never have shut off the water in over 40 years of traveling, usually 3-4 weeks at a time, and have never had an issue. The fact of the matter is I simply never think about it.

[jplante4]

Dutch - my forced hot water system doesn't have any bleeders in the high spots. The older systems do. Filling this system just requires that you supply water and attach a drain hose to the spigot between the circ pump and the rest of the piping. Water is forced up through the piping and when it stops gurgling at the drain, you're done.

I've had to burp the system regularly since I had the circ pumps replaced. It's not that big a deal.

I had considered shutting off the furnace and draining the heating system, but I don't think I'd be able to get 100% of the water out.