We get calls all of the time from people who just got home from being on vacation, or from the neighbors of those people who are currently on vacation. The calls are usually for plumbing emergencies. Most of these situations can be prevented if the homeowner follows our plumbing emergency prevention vacation checklist.

Turn The Main Water Off To The House

This can be done at your main shut off valve near the house (usually in the garage or front yard) or at the water meter. Look for a lever type or round handle with a pipe connected to it usually just above ground level. If you do shut the water off at the water meter, it will usually shut off the water to the sprinkler system, so you may want to just shut the water off at the house

Set Thermostat On The Water Heater To The Pilot Setting

This will keep the flame active on the water heater but will not completely shut the system off. This will save energy by not having the water heater constantly heat up hot water while you are away. When you get back home turn  the dial from pilot to on. It will take about 45 minutes for the water to heat back up.

Turn Thermostat Down On Your AC / Furnace System

We recommend setting the temperature of your AC system to 70 degrees for most areas of the country. This is cool enough to keep the house from getting stuffy and killing any indoor plants. Anything above or below this is just a waste of energy.

Make Sure All The Lights And Appliances Are Turned Off.

This is more important if you live in a house with old aluminum electrical wiring. House fires can start from overuse of old electrical circuits. They tend to get too hot, and if they are close to a surface that is easily ignitable, the house could catch on fire.

Have A Close Friend Or Family Check In On Your House

If you are going to be gone for more than a week, have a friend or neighbor check on your house once or twice a week. This is especially important if you live in a condo or apartment building where the plumbing pipes are shared. We have seen all sorts of things happen from a neighboring unit flood and go into the other unit causing damage. Sewage back up\’s from a top floor unit backing up in to a bottom floor unit, just to name a few

Making sure your house is vacation ready before you leave shouldn\’t take more than 10-15 minutes of planning. It is a good idea to use our plumbing prevention checklist but make a check list of these things of your own and include any other items you think could be a problem while you are gone. Review the checklist before you leave and when you get back from vacation to make sure everything is back to normal. If you need help with your own plumbing prevention checklist, you can always call your San Diego plumbing company, Colepepper Plumbing and we would be happy to help – (619)838-1322!