Shut off water to house when leaving for 2 to 3 months
 

We closed on our house yesterday and only have a few days to get things lined up before he leave on Feb 28. One thing I want to do is shut off the water coming into the house so there is no chance of springing a leak and causing a huge mess.

There is a red valve in the garage just prior to the water softener. I assume if I turn off this red valve there will be no water pressure coming into the house. i plan to also shut off the power to the hot water heater and turn off the water softener so it will not try to cycle. I will also shut off the ice maker in the freezer and open a tap to release water pressure inside home.

I assume that shutting off the water coming into the house would have zero effect on the lawn sprinkler system as I would leave this running.

Is the above the proper way to avoid possibility of major water damage in my absence? Home watch is not the answer as a leak could develop 10 minutes after they leave and the damage is done and they would not find it till they made their next visit.

yes

We had one of those "can't happen" leaks and were gone for 15 minutes. We now always turn water off

There are a few problems with that. The water should be run weekly to avoid dried out traps in bathroom fixtures and all appliances that use water. That would indicate that homewatch IS the answer. dish washers and clothes washers should be short cycled (water in, water out) to keep seals from drying out and to keep lubricants spread evenly in the machinery. If you let the water in your water heater stagnate, you may find yourself with some really smelly water when you return. You should also keep your A/C running set at perhaps 80 degrees to keep the air dry to prevent mold. The alternative to this would be to install a humidistat to operate the A/C based on humidity rather than temperature. One more note on periodic running of the water in ALL fixtures: We are sometimes subjected to fairly severe wind from local storms. This wind can actually siphon the water from the drain traps. If traps stay dry, you will find your home full of sewer gas which is poisonous. There are a few more issues that any competent homewatch can explain to you.

This is true for homes south of 466. Not true for homes north of 466 which have one water supply line.

You didn't say where your house is located.

In my opinion, the OP's plan to shut off the water for a 2-3 month absence is fine. It would be helpful if someone could check on the house once or twice during that period, if possible. I do agree that the AC should be left on. I think this would be consistent with the way the builder takes care of their new houses that are vacant for months before they are sold. I don't believe that they have someone who runs the water and appliances every week in those new houses.

We are just south of 466A. I could pour some RV antifree in the drains but doubt I can get that here. We do this up north for extended periods, it keeps the water from evaporating so fast from drain traps. I planned to set the A/C to 80 degrees. Thanks all for the suggestions.

Home automation is the answer
 

Install a stream labs water monitor to be aware of any leaks. You can get alerts on your phone for small steady leaks or major, pipe burst leaks. No tools, 5 minutes install. 199.00 home Depot, on line only.

Ideally pair this with a dome water valve for the ability to shut off water remotely. 90.00 Amazon. Plumbing is required. It is simple if you are handy, otherwise factor in more for a plumber.

If you shut off water in garage, it does not affect sprinkler water which has a shut off valve at sprinkler housing. I lived north of 466 and just shut water off in garage and sprinklers kept working.

Great idea, but it requires a high speed internet connection to run the monitering system, something many part time residents don't have.

No need to put RV antifreeze in the drain traps, no deep freezing in Florida. Just use water and then close the toilet bowl lids and sink drain stoppers to slow the evaporation process. We leave our A/C at 81 when away to control humidity, and in the summer put a dehumidifier on the Kitchen counter that drains into the sink (with the drain stopper open) as insurance in case the A/C stops working.

Your plan is fine. Just have a neighbor stop in once or twice a month to run the water, flush the toilets, check the ac. Buy him a nice gift when you get back. Neighbors take care of neighbors.

Water
 

ON OUR HOUSE:
We always shut off the valve in the garage, it does the house only, sprinklers are suppose to be separate. We also flush the toilets once, after the main valve is off. that relieves the pressure in the lines. We put about half a cup of bleach in the drains, all drains and in the toilet bowl. If you flush, you will find with the main valve closed, there will be no flow or very little as it drops the pressure. Also, the CHEAP plastic shut off valve is really junk. It can separate, if you turn it off and still have pressure, then that valve is broken. They are famous for separating the stem from the sealing surface, JUNK! Replace it with a 100% BRASS VALVE only. In other states where there are real inspectors and out side the villages, those plastic valves are illegal to use in a house, they are for garden supply and reduced pressure only. When we bought I immediately replaced that plastic piece of junk with Brass. GOOD LUCK !!
:bigbow:

I agree about the plastic valve. Some people will actually hire a home watch service to open and close that valve every week to run the water. This is not a good idea because the valve is not intended to be used that often.

Not true, I can shut the water off to my house (valve in the garage wall) and the sprinkler system will still work just fine. We have one meter but the line splits past the meter, one to your sprinkler system and one to your house. Worked exactly the same way in my house in NC.

The only other thing I can think of is to put peanut oil in all the drains and toilets. This will keep the water from evaporating.

We're also north of 466. I have a valve in the garage which shuts off the house, but leaves the sprinklers on. House built in 1995 district 1. There is also a valve in the lawn to shut off the sprinklers.

You'll sleep a lot better if you just turn the main water off set your thermostat and have a neighbor or friend come in a couple times a month to turn it on, flush the toilets, runs some water, etc., then turn it off when they leave. You will also know if you're having an AC problem that way otherwise you will not and 90 days of heat and humidity is not something you want to come back to.

We have been snow birds for 11 years. When you plan to return and when you actually can could be different. IE a medical problem. We turn off the water. Leave one facet open in case the shut off valve does not shut off completly. Have a friend check the house every few weeks and pour a few cups of water in the sink drain with the open faucet. Builder grade PCV shut offs are poor quality. Replaced ours with brass. Cover toilet bowls with saran wrap. Close all stoppers and seal with blue painters tape including the overflow holes at sinks and tubs. If a trap goes dry you can get bugs coming in as well as gas.
We also: unplug the microwave, turn off the refrigerator, unplug and disconnect tv cable due to lightning, unplug most electrical item.
Welcome to the Villages. Enjoy your ownership

We are north of 466 and that is spot on. Irrigation works when water to house is shut off.

Replacing the plastic valve with brass is a great idea and something I am going to do. How did you shut off the water before the valve so you could replace it?

We do everything the original poster does and have never had a trap dry out. The refrigerator ice maker..... that's a problem.

Hot water tank
 

I also turn off the breaker to my electric hot water tank.

This is one of those instances where you need to take action to protect your asset. Before moving to TV we had a home in Ft Lauderdale that we'd close up in late spring and reopen in early fall. I never shut the water off...it's just asking for trouble. You can shut off the power to your refrigerator and the water to the ice maker...but be sure to empty out the ice cubes that are already in the bin (as they'll melt). Open a box of Baking Soda and put it in the refrigerator (and in your closets) Also, next year it would be a smart idea to clean the rubber seals on the refrigerator doors and then apply just a thin coat of naval jelly to them. Half the time we'd leave the refrigerator doors open (after tossing all the condiments/etc) propped open with folded newspapers hanging over the doors...the other half we'd leave the refrigerator plugged in and left food stuff that we knew would still be okay after 5 months (like the sugar, flour, dry cereal, frozen items etc)...even though we had regular treatment for insects we always store our powder/dry foods in air tight plastic containers

We had a year round neighbor checking the house for us periodically while we were away (the Villages offers this service and we've used it when traveling). We'd also set the A/C temp for 78 and set the humidifier on a low number, we'd leave all the closet doors open, we'd pour a little bleach in the toilet bowls (not in the tanks) and then cover the bowls with plastic wrap...we'd throw some baking soda down the disposal and leave it dry, we never shut the water off. We'd strip the beds and angle the mattress off to the side so air would circulate. BTW the ice I emptied from the bin I'd put in a plastic bag and store in the freezer so that we would have ice upon our arrival. I also would put a couple of ice cubes in a small drinking glass and put them in the freezer. When I returned if the ice had melted and refroze into a solid mass, I'd know that we had lost power for a long time and I needed to toss everything in the freezer/fridge.

My folks had a second home in Vermont Ski country...we learned how to close that place up for weeks/months at a time. Closing a home for a long period of time in Florida is just different than in the colder climates...

OR ... if the internet goes down and device loses it's internet connection and doesn't reconnect .... happened to a snow-bird friend 2 years in a row. Fortunately nothing bad happened. He had a camera so he immediately knew it was down and was able to have someone fix it.

But will attract all the elephants.

The only recourse then is to get an elephant permit, and you know how hard they are to come by.:bigbow:

When I was house shopping in TV I had my dad look at some new homes with me. He has been a GC for 60 yrs. The very first thing to catch his eye is a plastic water main valve. He was shocked to say the least. The other was push/pull shut offs at each fixture. He thought the plastic main valve was illegal in most States and his comment on the push/pull – “cheap.” Dad always got a kick when someone said their house was built to code, to him that meant it was built to a “minimum standard.” Other than his own homes he only built commercial properties but never built anything to a minimum standard. I miss you dad.

Replacing main valve with a commercial grade brass ball valve is the first item on my list after closing.

You can replace the main plastic valve in the garage, but you will still have about 15 to 20 of the push-pull plastic valves inside of your house. If any one of these valves leak, they will cause more damage to your house than the valve in the garage because of their location. The best thing to do is to not open and close the valves very often. Also, I don't think it is a good idea to have a home watch service open and close the main valve every week, unless it is a heavy duty brass valve.

You are correct. Not replacing all the push/pulls at this time is more a matter of budget. However, they are on my “to do” list. The plastic main valve is definitely not something you want to cycle often. I have a phone number of a plumber I met at LSL during the nightly entertainment. Some how I lost his number, but I’m still looking for it. Don’t know if he’s any good but he said he’s put his son through college changing plastic main valves to brass in TV.

You locate your water meter in your yard. Depending on the age, and location of your home, this will be in the front of your house near the roadway, or it could be in the back. Newer homes have a plastic rectangular shaped cover. Older homes, the lid will be concrete. Using a pair of pliers, or a "water key", you turn off the water supply. At this point you can replace the whole house shut-off valve. Keep in mind, I've seen plenty of cases where the whole-house shut-off valve doesn't fully stop the water supply, so in the the event of a plumbing water leak inside your home, it's always a good idea to know how to turn off the valve at the meter.

Thanks for the information.

I know of many people who have left water on and have regretted it. even with home watch.