Turn off water and gas when out of town

[ransley]

It will be fine.

[aemeijers]

Trusted neighbor? What slice of the 1950s do you live in? Wonderful if you have them, I guess, but not really common these days, at least around here. I nod at my neighbors when I'm out doing yardwork, they nod at me, that is about the extent of it. I certainly wouldn't presume to ask any of them to enter my house in my absence, much less mow my yard or anything. Not even any teenage kids around here to hire for mowing, not that teenagers do that anymore anyway.

But yeah, otherwise what you said makes sense.

-- aem sends...

[bob haller]

its best to be friends with your neighbors, have a block party, help if you see them doing a project, start a neighborhood block watch.

observant friendly neighbors can be very useful.

like the ones next to my dads who used my dads call list in emergency when water was running out my dads front door, the reverse osmosis water filter tank had ruptured,.

[Nate Nagel]

I think that my next door neighbors would be willing to keep an eye on our place, as I would be with theirs. (on one side that is; the lady on the other side passed away and the house is for sale. Gotta suck for her family to have to sell in this market.)

Now the people across the street... I dunno.

To the topic at hand; I do turn off the water and WH when I leave for more than a day. Last time I didn't, we were only gone for three days but of course that is when the T&P valve on the main water heater stuck open. Fortunately only a small patch of carpet was damaged; the flooding was confined to the laundry room and that was the impetus I needed to rip up the crappy old floor tiles.

nate

[Kurt Ullman]

Sorta depends on the area. We go back and forth all the time checking on each other. Of course the "rookie" in the neighborhood has lived there 10 years now and 5 of the 8 houses in the immediate area are occupied by original owners from 20 years ago. We are running low on kids for mowing, but that is more a function of lack of teens than anything else.

[George]

Just because nothing has ever happened in your absence doesn't mean it never will and it doesn't logically extend to others that your experience means nothing will happen to them. Plenty of folks have come home to find a flood and/or extensive damage because a fitting let go or a supply line ruptured etc.

[CJT]

When I was burglarized a few months ago, they walked right past cash and went for my guitar.

[fftt]

George-

I make the risk vs reward calc.....turning the water off is easy, esp since when I re-plumbed I can now kill water the house & still leave the yard water active. But I still dont do it.

Turning off the gas requires relighting stove, water heater & furnace pilots....too much effort for (imo) very little added benefit.

imo good maintenance is a better way to go than shutting off the water when gone for a couple weeks......fittings & supply lines can "let go" when you're at work ....and most people spend WAY more time away from home at work than on vacation. Even a relatively brief leak can yield a flood & extensive damage. So on a "time / risk adjusted basis" one is more "exposed" to failure everyday than while on vacation. Yeah, if you dont have a neghbor watching out for your house the water can run a LONG time but most of the damage is done very quickly.

You're right about supply lines letting go at any time....my neighbor had an ancient supply line blow out, but she was home. The water ran for about 15 minutes until she discovered the failure & shut off the angle stop. Her husband wasn't preventive maintenance type of guy....the failed supply line was probably 20 years old; plastic & brittle. The supply line failed in an upstairs bathroom...flooding the wooden floor, the ceiling below, the book shelves & the first floor wooden floor...... a huge mess & expense.

If shutting down the gas & water when you're gone gives you peace of mind...go for it....but the "real" exposure exists everyday.

cheers Bob

[bob haller]

yeah everyday has risks. just worrying excessively about home or anything can make you ill.

personally fixing anything around home is better than being ill..........

so what if someone breaks in while your away? or sets your home on fire?

observant neighbor might try using your garden hose to put out nuisance fire set by kids. but with your water off fire grows........

its impossible to protect against everything:(

[mm]

Yes, but it will make low quality ice.

[Doug Brown]

I know I'm more than a little late but.......

Talk to your insurance agent about wha tis expected/require by your insurance company. Talk to your plumber about what he recommends. Why rely on a bunch of semi functional anonymous strangers?

[The Daring Dufas]

That's insulting! I'll have you know that I'm a completely non-functional anonymous stranger and I'm stranger than most.

TDD

[Doug Brown]

Cool

Neat

Awsome

Sick

Whatever the propler current term is

And just so ya knows - - - you're not alone!

[The Daring Dufas]

After all these years, I'm not alone. There are others just like me. I've been so lonely and now, I'm so happy to know that I'm not the only one.

TDD

[bob haller]

...

ends. =EF=BF=BDWhy

well a wire could short and start a fire, so probably good to power off the home, ahh except dark home may make it a break in target.

its iompossible to protect against everything............

better to be well insured, and enjoy your vacation