There are many reasons why you may leave your home for extended periods of time, but the most common reason is going on a holiday. After all, you can't work all of the time and holidays are needed for rest and relaxation. However, while you and your entire family leave your home to go on holiday, the last thing you want to come back home to is a problem that requires heating and plumbing repair. There are many possible issues such as a simple leaky tap or a burst pipe that has caused your home to become flooded. As a result, properly preparing your home before you head off to your holiday is extremely important and we will now look at a few ways that you can do just that. Turn off The Main Water Valve

First of all, you need to find the main water valve to your home and turn it off. This is about the best thing you can do to ensure that nothing goes wrong when it comes to your plumbing while you're away from home. By turning off the water to your home, you will prevent the potential flooding out of your home if a pipe or valve bursts. Another reason why you should turn off the water valve is to prevent any potential water theft as well as to conserve water. If you're not sure where the main water valve is, you can call your local plumber and they will locate it for you.

Think About Your Home's Water Needs

In the event that your home needs water while you're away such as a sprinkler system for your lawn or garden, the pump and filter system for your pool etc, then you will need to keep the main water valve on. As a result, you should turn off the water supply to the other parts of your home that won't be used while only keeping the ones that will be used on. If you are particularly worried, it may be best to hire a house sitter or have a friend stay at your home.

Lower the Temperature In Your Home

In addition to securing your plumbing, you should also think about your heating system. In particular, it is best to set the temperature much lower before you leave since heating will not be required as no one is home. After all, why should you pay for heating when it's not needed? However, you need to set the thermostat so that while it is much colder than usual, it should still be warm enough so that your plants don't die and the pipes in your home don't freeze.

Unplug Appliances

Lastly, you should unplug any appliances that will not be in use before you leave. Plugged in appliances still use a little electricity, so you can reduce your electricity bill by unplugging them. Unplugging them will also make your home safer and protect it from shorts, lightning strikes etc.

Conclusion

In closing, we have just looked at what you should do about your plumbing and heating when you go on a holiday. Be sure to implement the suggestions above and your home will be much safer while you're away.

For any plumbing issues before your holiday or upon  return, call Assett Plumbing on 01604 372395 and we will be there to help you.