Turning off water main for trip?

[skyline]

Quick question - anyone know of any reason why I shouldn't turn off the water main on my house before leaving for an extended trip? I don't live where it gets below freezing, so I can't think of any downside to doing this...although I guess one thing I was thinking was that it might somehow interfere with the water heater?

I'm trying to minimize the damage from something sprouting a major leak or cracking while my family is on the road. Hopefully some of you have done this or thought of doing this in the past and can advise on whether this is a good idea or not?

Thanks!

 

[calmloki]

Do shut the water heater breaker off if you shut off the water - it shouldn't boil off enough steam to expose the upper element, but it's much easier to shut off a breaker than to replace an element.

 

[youbet]

Do shut the water heater breaker off if you shut off the water - it shouldn't boil off enough steam to expose the upper element, but it's much easier to shut off a breaker than to replace an element.

How about a gas hot water heater? Maybe just turn the temp down?

 

[kumquat]

How about a gas hot water heater? Maybe just turn the temp down?

How about setting it to "Pilot"?

 

[Ronstar]

I shut off the water in my condo and turn the gas water heater setting to "vacation"

At the house, I turn off the water, unplug the water softener and water filter, but haven't shut off the breaker to the water heater. I'll have to remember this next time.

 

[winger]

We traveled often back in our S&B days. Always shut off water, and turned off breakers to unused circuits.

We had a water bed years ago. One trip, I turned off the breaker for the plug circuit the heater was connected to. It took nearly a week to warm it back up. Had to sleep on the couch, the waterbed would suck the heat out of your body. Chilled to the bone.......

 

[Rustic23]

If you decide not to, make sure you turn off the water at the washer and any other area that has hoses.

 

[jwkde]

Always turn off the water when we go away and turn the hot water heater down

 

[travelover]

I shut off my water when I'm away, as some really bad things can happen when water runs for days. I always get air in the system and it hisses and blows out some nasty looking stuff from the faucets, but that all goes away quickly. The only downside for me is that I have temperature activated sprinklers in the basement laundry and furnace rooms, so I give up that protection.

 

[Lakedog]

I also turn off the water and flip the breaker on the water heater when away from home for a few days -- simple thing to do and prevents worry about possible leaks/water damage.

 

[Texas Proud]

What do you consider extended

I have had a water leak in the middle of a pipe... very very small hole allowed a small stream of water to come out...

It can happen any time... even when you are living there... sure, turning off will prevent a major problem with flooding the whole house, so I do it..

But my time frame is more than a vacation... I would have to be moving somewhere for some time before I did all this..

 

[Achiever51]

... I always get air in the system and it hisses and blows out some nasty looking stuff from the faucets, but that all goes away quickly. ...

Suggestion if you get sediment (i.e., nasty looking stuff) in your pipes: Before you turn on the water at the meter, remove the strainer from the faucet the furthest away from the meter/water heater and turn on that faucet only. It will help push the sediment out that faucet. After the air gets out of the system, shut off that faucet, then remove the strainers from other faucets in the house and run water through them as well.

Achiever (the plumber's daughter)

 

[travelover]

Suggestion if you get sediment (i.e., nasty looking stuff) in your pipes: Before you turn on the water at the meter, remove the strainer from the faucet the furthest away from the meter/water heater and turn on that faucet only. It will help push the sediment out that faucet. After the air gets out of the system, shut off that faucet, then remove the strainers from other faucets in the house and run water through them as well.

Achiever (the plumber's daughter)

Good advice. I learned this the hard way. Some of those aerators are a pain to clean!

 

[skyline]

Thanks all - looks like turning off the water (and the water heater) is the way to go for longer trips (in my case these trips are between 2 weeks and 2 months).

 

[megacorp-firee]

I don't turn off the water, but I do turn down the water heater the lowest setting.
I have heard that if you turn off the water, some of the washers on some faucet and other connections could dry out. When you turn the water back on, you may experience leaks.
So I just leave the water on.

 

[NW-Bound]

I once turned off the water at the main valve for a week-long absence.

When I came back, while taking a shower and washing my hair, I observed that the water was salty. Gosh, it was a vacation at the seashore, but I coudn't believe that I would carry that much salt back in my hair.

It took me a few seconds to realize that I had not unplugged the water softener, which could not rinse out the brine during its regeneration cycle.

It took a few days of normal water useage to flush all that salt out of the house plumbing and the water heater.

I would now make sure that the water softener gets turned off along with the water heater.

 

[ERD50]

I would now make sure that the water softener gets turned off along with the water heater.

And bypassed. It is possible for the drop in pressure to suck the brine out of the tank, or otherwise get stuff where it shouldn't be.

-ERD50

 

[teejayevans]

I have a friend who's washing machine hose sprung a leak, they had to replace all the hardwood floors. Apparently this is fairly common, ditto for the hose going to the ice maker.
Those hoses are not up to the same standard as your home piping.
TJ

 

[travelover]

I have a friend who's washing machine hose sprung a leak, they had to replace all the hardwood floors. Apparently this is fairly common, ditto for the hose going to the ice maker.
Those hoses are not up to the same standard as your home piping.
TJ

Right a very common problem. They can be replaced cheaply with hoses that have wire reinforcement - available at the big box stores. The standard rubber hoses degrade with time enough to burst.

 

[BTravlin]

I don't turn off the water, but I do turn down the water heater the lowest setting.
I have heard that if you turn off the water, some of the washers on some faucet and other connections could dry out. When you turn the water back on, you may experience leaks.
So I just leave the water on.

My brother and his wife left for a one week vacation without turning the water off. On day three they received a call from the neighbor saying water was flowing out from under the front door. Returned home quickly to find a pipe had ruptured and the hardwood floors ruined. The finished lower level was an absolute disaster and this was a two year old custom built home.

I never leave for any trip anymore without turning off the water.

 

[samclem]

Another thing to do: Turn off the icemaker in the freezer (either with a switch on it, or by flipping the arm that detects when the bin is full). If you turn off the water to the house but don't also turn off the icemaker, the icemaker can suffer damage. How: If the icemaker senses a need for more ice (because the "sensor arm" detects that the bin isn't full), then a solenoid will open a valve that allows water to enter the ice tray (so it can freeze and then be pushed out by the tines/motor). This solenoid stays open until the trays fill up. If there's no water pressure, the solenoid can stay open for a long time waiting for the tray to fill up, and this will burn it out. Icemakers are expensive to fix.

Yes, I agree with turning off the water to the house. If we're going away for less than a week I usually set the gas water heater to "vacation" setting, which permits a lukewarm bath when we get home. I set it to "pilot" if we're going away for a longer amount of time.

 

[NW-Bound]

The area of my boonies home has highly unpredictable weather due to the high elevation.

We were up last weekend, took a walk around the subdivision, and saw a house being completely gutted to repair for water damage. For a 2nd home that is left vacant for weeks if not months, it is amazing that there is anything left to rebuild after a failure to shut down water, and a pipe burst due to freezing.

Low-elevation dwellers who own their 2nd home up there do not appreciate how the temperature can vary 20 to 30 deg F from one day to the next, and that it can get down to freezing as early as September and as late as May.

 

[calmloki]

Just put an offer on a place overlooking Prescott - about 500' higher than city center at 5840'. Methinks that's enough to keep snow after downtown is warmed up and dry... If we get it it will be interesting to learn all about draining systems, protecting outside water tank lines and faucets, and dealing with high winds.

 

[NW-Bound]

Hi there, my new fellow Arizonan. My place is a bit higher (near 7000').

But haven't you experienced freezing weather already in Oregon? Don't know about Prescott, but where I am, the wind can be like hurricane at 70+mph. Recently, along Hwy 260, one can see multiple ponderosa pines snapped in the middle like giant pencils. Westernskies knows all about this too, I am sure.

 

[calmloki]

Hi there, my new fellow Arizonan. My place is a bit higher (near 7000').

But haven't you experienced freezing weather already in Oregon? Don't know about Prescott, but where I am, the wind can be like hurricane at 70+mph. Recently, along Hwy 260, one can see multiple ponderosa pines snapped in the middle like giant pencils. Westernskies knows all about this too, I am sure.

Dunno if the offer will fly - yes, Prescott gets high wind speeds as well and gets maybe 10 degrees colder than here in the winter. Most of the plumbing in the earth sheltered home is centrally located in the house and well protected, but the well and water tank plumbing , solar water panel and hose bibs are at risk. Have had some experience with pipe protection up here on the rentals, hopefully that will transfer.