Turn your water off!

Turn your water off before going on vacation!

Do you know where your main water shut off valve is in your house?  Is it accessable?  Have you turned it off lately?  Does it turn off easily or do you need to always go and get tools to get it to move? 

All of these questions are warming up to, "why it is important to know where our main water shut off valve is in our home?".  Knowing and doing the following can prevent what happened in the photo to the left when this cute family went on vacation!


Summer time is vacation time! And so is water damage caused by not taking some precautions before going on vacation.  The top insurance claims relate to water damage and the top 3 are:

1. Washing machine valves and hose failure (I learned my lesson to ALWAYS do this in 1986 when we went on vacation and I didn't shut my washing machine valves-above the washing machine-off.  The hot water hose burst and when we came in the front door after our wonderful week away from home, the home humidity felt like a sauna!)
2. Reverse Osmosis drinking water system-older lines break 
3. Sink or toilet valves breaking or leaking

Before you go on vacation this year, turn your main water valve off, it's usually located in your home.  If you can't find the valve or don't want to turn the main water off, in order to avoid a "sauna surprise", turn your washer hot and cold hoses off and turn your gas water heater thermostat down.

When you get back from vacation and you are all rested up, check your sink or toilet valves and make sure they aren't leaking or are corroded. Nothing worse than water damage and having to make an insurance claim!  :(