How To Prevent Water Damage on Vacation

11/5/2022 (Permalink)

Turn off the water supply at the main shut-off valve

Preventing Damage Back Home When You Are On Vacation

Vacation is a time when you want to relax and enjoy yourself. But if you're like most homeowners, there's probably underlying anxiety about whether your house will be safe while you're away. Even though it's unlikely that anything will happen while you're away, it's still worth taking some precautions to prevent damage from occurring while you're on vacation.

Turn Off the Water

It isn’t a bad idea to turn off some things when you leave for a few days:

• main water shutoff valve
• water meter
• backflow prevention device
• well pump

Turn Off the Thermostat

Depending on the time of the year, it might be a good idea to turn off your thermostat. Turning off your thermostat will save you money because it won’t be running when no one is there.

Additionally, make sure that any space heaters are unplugged or turned off completely before leaving town. If possible, have someone check in on your home while you're away so they can make sure everything is turned off properly.

Be Prepared With Tools

It’s a good idea to have some simple tools and materials on hand in case you need to shut off the water or electricity. For example, you can purchase inexpensive shutoff valve adapters that will fit over any plumbing fixture for easy access. If you have an electrical panel in your home, it’s helpful to have a multi-tool with wire cutters so that you can safely disconnect any exposed wires from the circuit breaker.

If possible, locate all of these items ahead of time and place them somewhere accessible in case they are needed during your trip away from home.

Check Your Insurance Policy

One of the most important things to be sure of before you leave is whether or not your current insurance policy will cover your home while it's empty. Many homeowners' policies do not cover damage caused by a pipe break or flood. If you don't have insurance, then this may be an opportunity to consider adding it.

Another thing to verify before leaving on vacation is how much coverage you have in case of theft, vandalism, or burglary. Is there enough? Do you need to increase it?

If you do have an adequate amount of coverage and decide to leave town anyway, then be sure and take pictures of everything that's left behind so that if anything does happen while your house is unattended, there will be photographic evidence for the insurance company.

Remember, every home is different and it’s important to know what your insurance policy covers. You can also protect yourself by turning off the water supply at the main shut-off valve, which will save time if you have a leak and need to call a plumber quickly.

In the event of a water damage event or fire damage event while you are away from your Florence home on vacation, give SERVPRO of Georgetown, Florence, Sun City a call!