How to Put Your Plumbing on Vacation While You’re Away from Reading, MA This Winter
Everyone knows that winters here in the Northeast can really be a doozy. Just look at how harsh last winter was! With that being said, winter is a perfect time for a little, or a long, getaway. Between trekking over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house or making your way to warmer weather, there’s plenty to see and do during the winter. But the most important thing to do is to take proper care of your home’s plumbing before you go!
Regardless of how long it is, we want you to enjoy your well-deserved winter vacation with complete plumbing peace of mind. Let our dedicated team of experienced plumbing professionals help you get your plumbing ready. We provide a variety of plumbing services to ensure things keep flowing smoothly, even when you’re not around!
Use these simple vacation plumbing tips and you’ll have peace of mind while you’re away!
Never turn off your heat
If you’re looking to save a few bucks while you’re away this winter by turning off your heat, don’t!
You can bet your bottom dollar that the cost to repair frozen or burst piping will be way higher than even your most expensive heating bill! You can turn your heat down low, but as a precaution never keep it below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Inspect washing machine hoses
While you’re doing that last load of laundry before you go, take a moment to carefully inspect your washing machine hoses. With a life expectancy of only 3 years, washing machine hoses can develop cracks and potentially problematic build ups of calcium over time, causing leaks and other issues. If you find anything noteworthy, don’t put it off! Just give us a call because the problem won’t go away until we fix it!
Even your water heater could use a vacation
Did you know many water heaters have a vacation mode that can be activated specifically for times like these? This helps to save on energy costs as well as prevent water damage in the unfortunate event that the pipes leading to and from your water heater burst. A dry or empty water heater can damage the heating element and cause it burn out! If your water heater doesn’t have a vacation mode, turn it off instead.
Turn off the main water valve
One of the best ways to really nip issues with flooding and frozen pipes in the bud is to shut off your main water valve. This helps to prevent these issues by stopping the flow of winter into your home’s pipes. That way, it won’t even get a chance to freeze! You can help drain any water left over in them by opening your hot and cold water faucets. Disregard this step if you have a boiler, as it requires water to continue heating your home!
Prevent unpleasant drain odors
No one likes to be welcomed home by the stench of rotting food wafting up from your kitchen sink or garbage disposal, or worse, that infamous sewer smelling coming from a bathroom. Give your drains a proper cleaning before you leave or call us for professional drain cleaning. For bathroom drains, piping hot water, vinegar, and baking soda are tried and true natural ways to get rid of odors, but bleach will also do the trick.
After serving the greater Reading, MA area for over a century, we’ve learned a thing or two about preventative plumbing maintenance. With all that experience, you can always trust the skilled plumbing professionals at Waldman to handle any job the right way on the first time!