A Little Water Never Hurt Anybody

...But a lot of water poses a serious problem.

One of the realities of owning a home is the possibility of a water leak at some point. Water pipes can burst or spring a leak, drain pipe seals can fail, and washing machine hoses can burst.

There is never an opportune time for this to happen, and chances are pretty good that when it does, it will be during the middle of the night, or worse yet, when you're gone on that two week vaction.  Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Take the time to locate and understand how to operate your water shutoff valves.  Your main water valve that shuts off the entire house is typically located in a basement utility room near the furnace or water heater.  It is right next to your water meter (see photo).  Individual fixtures are typically controlled by their own valves, which are located under the sink or behind the toilet (see photo).  If you don't understand how to operate the valves, call a plumber for help.  The price of a service call for them to show you is minimal compared to the piece of mind that you'll gain.

Now that you've found your shutoff valves, check them.  Do they actually work?  Plumbers recommend turning each valve off and then back on again every few months to keep them from seizing up.  If the valve hasn't been operated in a long time, it could be seized up and not operate.  If you have a stuck valve, get it replaced by a plumber immediately.  If you think a plumbing service call is expensive, wait until you see the bill for water damage restoration.

When a leak actually occurs, act promptly.  Don't panic.  Get to the shutoff valve and turn it off right away.  The inconvenience of not having water is nothing compared to a flooded basement.  If you notice a brown stain on your ceiling or water dripping from the ceiling above, don't wait for it to get bigger or for the drywall to cave in—it won't magically get better, it will only get worse.  Determine the cause, or call a plumber for help right away. 

Shut off your main water valve when you go on vacation.  If a leak springs an hour after you leave and you're gone for two weeks, you'll come back to a disaster.  Consider shutting off all of the water before you leave.  If you have somebody stopping by to water plants or those prized petunias in the garden, show them how to turn the water on and off.

Don't let a water leak ruin your day.  Be proactive in preventing and stopping leaks, and save a bundle in property damage repairs.