Going on vacation should i turn water off

Should the water be turned off then? How about for shorter, weekend or business trips? The short answer is, yes, you should turn off the water before you leave. Here's why and how to do it right.

One of the worst vacation experiences ever can be getting a call or discovering when you get home that there's been an indoor flood. Here's why it literally pays to make sure the water's off before you take off. Even if you're only leaving for a few days, it's a great idea to shut off the water supply to your house. It's quick and easy to do and it lets you have one less worry while you're away.

You don't need to turn off the water at every valve under sinks, behind the toilet, or near the water heater. Simply turn off the main water supply valve, which is typically located inside your home, right where the main pipe enters the house. With some homes, the valve is located on the exterior where the pipe connects to the water meter and enters the house. Most residential insurance policies operate under the premise that the home is being tended to daily.

This adds to the inconvenience. Then there is the emotional stress of seeing family heirlooms, prized possessions, and memories all succumb to the water. When it comes time for a long vacation, in the words of a famous sportswear manufacturer, just do it. That said, many Albertans like to escape the polar temperatures in these parts in winter. They head south for a few weeks. Plunging temperatures can play havoc with your water pipes, freezing them up, causing them to burst, and unleashing devastation in your home.

The good news is that the hardest part of turning off the water in your house is remembering to do it. First, locate the mains water supply valve in your home. You should know where this is anyway, in case there is a plumbing emergency.

The valve should have a wheel control or lever handle to open and close it. It is perfectly safe to turn it off by either turning the wheel clockwise or closing the lever.

Rather than leave it to the last minute before you head off, find it and turn it off to test if the water stops flowing in your house beforehand. Not only will this help prevent any plumbing issues. It will also make the house look like people are there, which helps to discourage burglars. To make your house appear occupied while you're gone, and a less appealing target for burglars, put timers. The timers turn on and off the lights at different times of the night, as if someone in the house were flipping a switch.

And for a few extra bucks you can purchase smart timers or WiFi bulb sockets , which allow you to control lights remotely with your smart phone. That way, if your furnace stops working, the water in the tanks won't freeze, expand, and crack the porcelain.

But even if you shut off the water supply to the toilet and then flush the toilet, there will still be some water in the bowl.

The solution? Marine antifreeze. If any of your televisions, computers, sound systems, and other electronics are plugged directly into the wall rather than into a surge protector , pull the plugs in case a power surge happens while you're away.

If the devices are plugged into surge protects, simply flip the switch to power them off. Unplugging electronics and turning off surge protectors can also save you some coin. The Department of Energy estimates that the average U. Stop by the post office and pick up an Authorization to Hold Mail form.

The postal service will hold your mail for a minimum of three days, but not more than 30 days. This service is offered free of charge. Also, be sure to stop newspaper delivery. Type keyword s to search.