House preparations when leaving town

[MightyMom]

My (wonderful) DH insists on cutting power to our water heater when we leave on vacation and turning off the water lines to our home.

He is paranoid about a pipe bursting. A few years ago a pipe to our water heater burst while we were out for the day.... we returned to a flood.

Is this really necessary?

What other precautions do you take to protect your home while you are gone for any length of time??

 

[Luhts]

It may not be necessary, but my parents also came home to a flood once and now shut off the water heater. They say they also save a bit on energy costs doing this.

What precautions you take may depend upon where you live, how long you will be gone, and what time of the year it is. When we lived waaayyyy up north, we had to have someone come into our home and run the water every day to keep the pipes from freezing. We still have someone come in regularly now to make sure everything is okay. We also have them take in any papers that may get left even tho we cancel mail/newspaper because you still seem to get some flyers and such. There was an incident in our neighborhood last year at Christmas time where someone was dumping popcorn at the doorways of homes and if they came back and it hadn't been cleaned up, then they knew the owners were away!
We also hire a teenager to keep the driveway clear in winter and grass cut in summer. And we have one light on a timer, tho I think criminals are probably not put off by that.

 

[Snow Shoe]

Well I don't turn the water off to the house, but I do turn the water off to the washing machine. Several years back, a friend went on a vacation and came home to very flooded house. One of the water hoses to her washer burst open, and flooded the house for several days. Our water heater sits in the garage, so if the bottom drops out only the garage gets it. I know many people will rasie the temp on their AC during the summer or lower the heat in winter, but I leave it the same. The extra energy that it takes to cool or heat back to what your comfortable at to me is not worth the extra cost. We also leave several timers on lights in various rooms that will go on/off several times in the evening/night. This gives the appearence that people are going from room to room, spending time and then leaving, kinda...sorta. We live way out in the county, so our only law enforcement is the county sherif patrols. I call them and tell them we're going on vacation and they cruise by usually twice a day according to the neighbor.

 

[WeLuvTink!]

I had to check to make sure my wife wasn't the OP...because I always turn off the water to the whole house when we go on vacation. I also turn off the water heater, turn up the AC (or turn down the heat), turn on timed lights in various rooms, stop the paper/mail, and hire a neighbor kid to cut the grass/shovel the walk. It just makes me feel better so I can relax and not worry about "the house" while I'm on vacation.

 

[imthatgirl]

we have never cut the water, but we do cut everything electrical. the one and only thing that stays plugged in is the fridge.

 

[bjeannep]

I do most of the things mentioned above.

I was one of those teenage kids getting paid by a neighbor once that had me move his car every few days. In Garage, Out of Garage, one side of driveway, other side, backed in etc. My dad and I actually had fun doing it!

I also make sure at least two neighbors know we are gone.