Turning off water during a two night trip

[slaunch]

I appreciate all the responses fellas. It was precisely as I expected with pretty much have the crowd saying one thing and the other saying the exact opposite haha. I wasn’t all that worried about it it was just a thought that popped in my head and when I did just a couple google searches everyone suggested something different so I thought this would be a good place for discussion. I left the water on. We’ll be back Thursday so not much different than normal. If anything happens those of you saying I should have turned my water off can say I told you so.

[Walleyeguy456]

My theory is if a pipe is going to break it will be when the garage door closes when you are leaving. Being on city water it will flow until you notice it. I shut mine off if we are going for more than 2 days. Also turn the water heater down to vacation mode. When we leave for 3 months i drain the pipes and winterize the house even though i leave the heat on. I have a wifi thermostat I can monitor the house temp. Why worry when it takes minutes to shut the water off.

[gonefishin555]

We always turn water, water heater and ice maker off when we leave house for even one night. Went through the ice maker thing when it got jammed. We happened to be here and caught it in time; but it was still a mess drying out kitchen floor.

This is a no brainer for us.

[gonefishin555]

Why not just shut them of and not have to inconvenience someone?

Why not have one of your children, some other relative or a close friend check it if your that concerned?

[coolwhip]

Unless you turn the heat off then no worries of water lines freezing.

[berudd]

The best thing to do is whatever makes you most comfortable.

Not if what makes you comfortable is an unhealthy compulsion. There is safety and then there is paranoia.

[weim hunter]

The only thing that I do at my house when I'm gone for a week or so is turn the hot water heater down. I've seen some older Pop off valves foul when the water heater is turned up and water isn't run to relieve some of the pressure after a couple days. We turn the water off at the meter everytime we leave the lake house because we never know when we will be back, but it be Atleast a week, sometimes a month.

[cbburke74]

you guys remind me of my wife - she unplugs the toaster every frickin day. I plug it in just to see if she will unplug it.

I do the same thing to annoy her

[donpilot]

Unless you turn the heat off then no worries of water lines freezing.

Brother-in-law's lake cabin. They turn the water off and leave the heat on 55*. Great plan until an ice storm came through and they lost power mid winter (heat pump). Murphys law. Anything that can will happen.

[Bub]

I never used to turn anything off when leaving home for more than a day, even if it was a week's vacation out of town I just left things the way they were. My in-laws came to my house for Christmas a few years ago and when they returned home after 3 days, the entire main floor was 3 inches deep along with the upstairs bathroom because one of those stainless steel toilet feeder hoses burst spewing water for 3 days . The repair required new sub-floor and tile in the upstairs bathroom along with having to re-tile the shower because the original MDF sub-floor swelled, that required me to also re-tile the shower and walls so it would still match, then new sub-floor and carpet on the main level, replaced the TV entertainment cabinet, and a chair.

Yes, I turn off the water when I'm going to be away from the house overnight. I have a switch on the panel that is for only the water heater and a valve in my laundry room where the water comes in the house... takes 20 seconds to provide me peace of mind.

[Bub]

Unless you turn the heat off then no worries of water lines freezing.

Not necessarily, my water freezes at my kitchen sink anytime the temps drop below 25... I have to leave my water trickle. I tried just leaving the lower cabinet doors open but that doesn't help, my pipes are run on an exterior wall with crappie insulation. I will be upgrading all of this when I gut the room to do a remodel next year.

[Astro-T]

Went on vacation out of state for 2 weeks summer before last. My neighbor called just as we were on our way back and said water was running down my siding. Had my son go over the house and check it out and the icemaker line had split. $20,000 worth of damage! Kitchen and dining room floors ruined. Brand new carpet in living room, family room and bedroom ruined. Ceiling and walls in downstairs bedroom caved in etc. I dont turn the water off if I'm gone for the day but any longer than that and its off. Learned my lesson!!

[flyingwillie]

It takes me less than 30 seconds to turn my water off. If we are gone for more than a couple of days I turn it off.....doesn’t matter the time of year.

[Bassmeister]

It takes me less than 30 seconds to turn my water off. If we are gone for more than a couple of days I turn it off.....doesn’t matter the time of year.

Same here......if you ever come home from work and see water running from under your door, you do get a little paranoid......Any time I'm away from home for more than a work day....the water and water heater is off..... It was a washing machine hose that had busted while I was at work.....

[spinningreel]

I always turn off my water when away from home. When we built the new house, the Plumber installed a whole house shut off valve on the wall right by the back door. All I have to do is open the little access door reach in and turn the valve off.

[JR19]

I never turn my supply line or my water heater off but have rethought after a local family had a freak accident while on vacation. They had some type of metal decoration that was mounted above the toilet in the upstairs part of their two story home. It fell and broke the tank on the toilet. They were gone for a few days and when they came home they found water running out from under their garage door. The toilet had been running for at least a couple days. It pretty much ruined 4 rooms in their house. The four rooms had to be totally gutted all the way down to the wall studs and ceiling joist. They ran a dehumidifier and let it dry for a few weeks then they remodeled. It was heat of summer so they pretty much moved out of the house into a camper. They opened the windows to the house and let the heat dry it out.

[Champ891]

We’re going to Branson for a couple days tomorrow and I was doing some research on whether or not to turn off the water heater while we’re gone and stumbled on turning off the water completely. What does BBC say about turning off the water at the meter while we’re gone?

You are over thinking .

[dwmgg17]

Common sense will get you the right answers. Get a sheet of paper and list the pros and cons of each and go from there. Very simple.

[brnzbaklvr]

Common sense will get you the right answers. Get a sheet of paper and list the pros and cons of each and go from there. Very simple.

Here I'll do it...
Cons.
Takes 2 seconds to turn the valve off.
Pros.
.Dont have to live in a hotel for a month because something failed..

[brnzbaklvr]

Not if what makes you comfortable is an unhealthy compulsion. There is safety and then there is paranoia.

Do you carry a spare tire, Jack 4 way wrench, extra parts and safety items in your boat, fire extinguisher.?? I could go on and on but taking 2 seconds to shut a valve off isnt any more of paranoia than any other precaution you take that could possibly save you thousands of dollars and months of inconvenience..
That's OK though...Restoration companies need work too..