5 Ways To Protect Your Home From Water Damage While on Vacation

12/15/2021 (Permalink)

Insulate exposed pipes.

5 Ways to Prevent Water Damage in Your Home While on Vacation

Whether it’s a weekend getaway or an extended trip, you, like many homeowners in Palmer Township, PA, may look forward to a relaxing vacation. Upon your return, the last thing you probably want or expect to find is a flooded house requiring water pipe repair. Unfortunately, every home is potentially susceptible to broken pipes and water damage, especially during the winter. You can, however, take several proactive measures to help safeguard your residence and personal property while you’re away.

1. Insulate Exposed Pipes

Attics, basements and garages are often uninsulated. Exposed pipes in these areas may freeze and burst during the winter. To minimize this risk, you should insulate accessible pipes in the cooler regions of your home.

2. Turn Off the Water Main

Restricting water flow can also help prevent a broken pipe. Before you leave for vacation, consider turning off the water main.

3. Drain Pipes

You can help further reduce the need for water pipe repair by draining your home’s pipes. After you shut off the water supply, open every faucet, including the outdoor ones, to eliminate any fluid remaining inside the plumbing system.

4. Keep the Heat On

You may consider it a waste of energy to keep your home’s heater on if the residence is unoccupied. However, turning the unit off during the winter leaves your pipes vulnerable to freezing. Instead of disabling your heater, consider adjusting the thermostat. You should, however, refrain from lowering the setting below 55°F.

5. Open Cabinet Doors

To help prevent a broken pipe under your kitchen and bathroom sinks, you can open the cabinet doors. This helps warm air circulate more efficiently.

Flood cleanup and water pipe repair are often daunting and tedious tasks that many homeowners hope to avoid. Taking precautionary measures to prevent burst pipes can provide peace of mind that your home will be safely intact when you return from vacation.