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Leaving home? Water leak checklist
For trips of a few days or more
- ☐ Shut off the main water if no systems need it (how). If you have irrigation or a fire sprinkler system, check what must stay on.
- ☐ If you don't shut off the main, at least close the washing machine and ice maker supply valves.
- ☐ Set the water heater to "vacation" mode if it has one.
- ☐ In cold weather, keep the heat on and open sink cabinets on exterior walls (frozen pipes).
- ☐ Test leak sensors and make sure alerts go to your phone.
- ☐ Ask a neighbor to check inside every few days, and leave them your shutoff location.
- ☐ Check your homeowners policy for vacancy or unoccupancy conditions on long absences.
When you return
Reopen the main slowly, check under sinks and around the water heater, and run the meter test.