By asking this question it's obvious that you have never had a house flood. We had one while we were sleeping one night. Woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of water running. It was under the kitchen sink. What a mess! It only takes a couple of minutes to shut off the water and you'll have peace of mind while enjoying your vacation. We even started turning it off for just an overnight absence.
"BIG BOB" & DIANE:
Big Mac & Sarah (Retired Greyhounds)
2005 Prowler Regal AX6 365BSQS
2005 F-350 Lariat Crew Cab 4x4, DRW, 8'bed, 6.0 P/S Diesel,
Veterans, the reason we will always be "FOREVER FREE".
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
We're gone for months at a time, too: We shut the water off to the house, turn the toilets off and just pour bleach in the bowls.
We have solar hot water, so we drain the panels and turn the system off. We do not drain the 80-gallon tank. When we come home and turn that puppy back on, the water gets so hot there is nothing that could survive. We never have had stinky water on our return.
We set the air conditioner theromstat to 85, so we don't come home to a swamp. A neighbor checks on the house periodically to make sure the air conditioner hasn't died.
We empty the refrigerator and turn it off. That takes care of the icemaker, too.
Oh yeah, and we put up hurricane shutters, something you don'6t have to worry about.
Cheers,
Magster
2 retirees
2 dogs, 1 cat and a foul-mouthed parrot
2003 29RL Dutchmen Classic, "The Ark"
2001 Dodge 2500 diesel
It is okay to shut off the water, but if you do you MUST not forget to also turn off the hot water heater. If you do not, and the level in the tank goes down for any reason, room forms for steam to accumulate and you risk having your hot water heater exploding.
Take care
Mike
DancinCampers wrote: ...
I put mineral oil down the traps & saran wrap over the toilet bowls. ...
I like to leave the toilet lid up to see how many drowned mice I have when we get back. I've even found them when the lid has been down. If I'm lucky, after drowning they get waterlogged enough to be almost totally under water to help contain the smell. I just hold my breath when I do flush them away. Fortunately, we aren't gone for months at a time so it doesn't get too putrid.
I turn the water off even for the weekend. I turn the water heater off completely if we will be gone for a week or more. I also unplug the hot water recirculating pump. If I was to go three months I would turn the gas off at the meter. My sprinklers stay on as they are tapped in between the meter and main house shut off.
Offline
It only takes a couple of minutes to shut off the water and you'll have peace of mind while enjoying your vacation. We even started turning it off for just an overnight absence.
I've even found them when the lid has been down. If I'm lucky, after drowning they get waterlogged enough to be almost totally under water to help contain the smell. I just hold my breath when I do flush them away. Fortunately, we aren't gone for months at a time so it doesn't get too putrid.
