With summer just around the corner, one can’t help but daydream about upcoming vacation plans. There’s hardly anyone who’d disagree with that! However, there’s an additional thing an individual must think about before kick-starting their summer adventure. Of course, we’re talking about setting up a pre-summer vacation plumbing checklist. That topic’s most probably the reason why you’re reading this in the first place. If that’s so, you’ve come to the right place. In the article you’ll find below, we’ll show you a neat little guide on setting up a pre-summer checklist without much hassle. Stay tuned for some useful info!
Why’s a pre-summer vacation plumbing checklist important?
Before we start counting the things you’ll need to do before heading off to your vacation destination, let’s quickly consider why a pre-summer plumbing checklist is such an important issue! Okay, so here’s the thing: there are a lot of things that can go wrong if you don’t handle this with care. For instance, you might come home only to be surprised by the fact that it’s flooded. Or, you can walk in through your home’s front door carrying luggage only to find out your carpets are completely ruined. Not to mention the foul smells you’ll have to endure! Fixing these issues will probably cost you thousands of dollars, and we can only guess you’re not that keen on spending money you could’ve easily invested in something better.
All in all, the “actions” we’ll show you below will only take a few minutes of your time. However, the time you’ll save (not worrying about repairs or money) can’t be measured. Anyway, let’s dig deeper into what’s our main topic for today.
Pre-summer vacation plumbing checklist
Okay, so shall we begin the countdown? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make your home safe from floods and other plumbing-related accidents while enjoying your deserved summer holiday. Let’s go over the pre-summer vacation plumbing checklist.
#1 Close off the main water supply
This one is probably the easiest task on our today’s list. By shutting off your main water valve, you’ll ensure no water-related incidents occur while you’re on vacation. For instance, if you happen to have some issues with a faulty pipe or any other plumbing fixture, shutting off the main water valve will guarantee there won’t be any extra water leaking into your house. Also, one might wonder: but what if you’ve got a sprinkler system or a pool pump? Wouldn’t that make this a bit impractical or something? Here’s the answer: if that’s the case, you’re still able to shut off the valve at each individual fixture (sinks, washing machines, etc.) in order to minimize the effects of flooding (if it were to happen).
#2 Drain/shut off the water heater
First, you might want to schedule an annual water heater maintenance a certain amount of time before you hit the road. The thing is, a professional plumbing service provider will inspect it for leaks and assist you in draining them. However, if you haven’t got the time or the money, you can simply turn it off or set it to so-called vacation mode. Did you know that traditional water heaters that work on electricity or natural gas are probably the biggest energy-consuming appliances inside your pretty house? Now that you know that, there’s a good chance you’ll want to turn the water heater off before you kick-start your summer vacation. This will not only reduce the chances of your home succumbing to flooding, but it’ll also do you some good in terms of your energy bills (it will greatly lower them).
#3 What about outside faucets and hoses?
Oh, and we almost forgot about them! Once you’ve finished shutting off the main water supplies and/or individual valves, it might be good to disconnect the hoses and open the outside faucets in order to empty out your pipes. This will give your home a little extra protection from flooding. Now, imagine there was a flood in your NYC apartment. For instance, you might’ve forgotten to turn off the main water valve or something. What you’ll do first? Well, you might wanna hire quality NYC movers to make sure most of your home’s inventory reaches a safe and dry storage destination. In other words: they’ll be there to provide assistance with transfer. Simultaneously, you’ll have to call a plumbing service provider to help you take care of the most important issue: your home’s faulty water system.
#4 Clean up the gutters
It’s safe to say we all know how gutters tend to end up full of various debris. Needless to say, that debris can affect the way your home deals with excess water (rainwater, for instance). If water has nowhere to go but to stay on your roof, you’re going to have a hard time dealing with the consequences. So, make sure that your gutters are clean before packing any vacation luggage!
#5 Clean out your drains
Now, here’s something that’s too obvious. Still, one can never be too safe, right? Anyway, without water going through your drains, the littlest of clogs might start to produce some not-so-pleasant smells. Tell us something: how long has it passed since you last gave your drains a good old thorough cleaning? If you can’t remember, it might be time to call a plumbing expert. Just so you don’t arrive from your vacation to find your home smelling of sulfur.
#6 Ask your friends to check your place regularly
If you’re going on a vacation that’ll last a bit longer than most vacations do, it might be best to see if any of your friends are willing to check in on your home every once in a while and let them notice you if something has gone awry. This can go hand-in-hand with setting up a pre-summer vacation plumbing checklist so you can handle the issue of surprising accidents that might happen while you’re gone.
