Cut Off Water to Your Home

[Genr8rs]

I talked to a realtor friend I have coffee with and he was selling a high dollar rural house in our area with a well, 499k is high dollar here, and a contractor stopped and checked the house as it was being tested for radon to pickup the testing samples. The house had been vacant since it was listed. This past week it got down to -18 degrees, 50+ mph winds and - 37-45 below windchill. The contractor reported back that water was running down the stairs. Take that for what it is worth. How much damage would a basement with 4 inchs of water do? Or the leak in the main floor or worse yet the 2nd floor? This also goes for generators during rain storms. I have a lot of experience with that.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

We were away since Thursday AM.. Friday AM the power went out. The temp Sat and Sun were way below freezing for highs. The power was out Friday Saturday Sunday Monday until 3;30. 78 hours. We got back about 2pm Monday

We did not turn the water off but you really have to think through your houses situation.. We have a very large and very rooted in concrete automatic generator that powers the whole house ( when you are away all you care about is heat but the genny doesn't care). So thievery is not an issue. We have a couple of neighbors who don't mind sashaying over here and listening for the hummmm of the genny each day. When its really cold all they have to look for is our Christmas Lights this season.

Our house has hot water heat and it is winterized with propylene glycol year round.. The builder was..an idiot.. The house is insulated. The lines on one wall are OUTSIDE the insulation. ( we are trying to fix that as we go)The line from the well pump is not insulated . I think it is below the frost line as it has never frozen but we have had freeze ups in prior houses on wells because a contractor went cheap and ran the line over a ledge and did not bother to bury beneath the frost line. So our concern over turning off water is that line from the well to the house freezing solid. Back in NJ the poorly installed line required an arc welder for a long time to thaw out the pipes ( copper.. wouldn't work on newer water lines I think)

Have to say that our investment years ago in a standby genny was well worth it.. We learned we can go for two weeks off grid if necessary.. ( use five percent of propane supply a day). There is a huge propane tank. None of this involves running to a gas station ( nearest is 10 miles away!) with gas cans to keep a noisy contractors genny going.

Yes there has to be a plan. The plan can vary and we are fortunate to have neighbors ( the homes are each on two acres so not close) who we can trust to check and to check well.

And now to the propane bill....Not all peaches and cream. However no hassle from any HOA.. ( The scourge of developments)

Great story and great plan. And...you are the absolute master of parenthetical phrases. Thanks for sharing.

[muckinfuss]

Murphy wasn't a liar.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by muckinfuss

Murphy wasn't a liar.

[bucko]

While I'm fortunate that I don't live in the north, we did have several days of sub freezing temps in the Gainesville Florida area in December. I have a well and a pool. I did keep the pool running for the 4 days we had this weather, but did nothing else as far as the well water and inside pipes were concerned.

We survived without issue. It was cold though for us southerners.

[David_ski]

I have this piece of mind automatic shut off valve on my washer hot/cold water lines so that the hoses are never charged unless we are doing a load of laundry. It was only about $50. I installed one on my washer hot/cold valves 10+ years ago, and one at my daughters house in 2019. They work great. It is a simple spring countdown timer that will stay open for about 1-2 hours.

I could not find it for sale online anywhere this morning. Amazon says temporarily unavailable. One would have to contact the company directly to see if is is still manufactured. There are similar 120V powered shutoff valves that can be found that are more expensive (in the $300 range).

https://www.keeneymfg.com/catalogs/K...eet-LIT100.pdf

[sfran]

I alway shut the water off when we leave on a trip it’s easy thing to do compared to the flood damage a broken pipe would cause. I have had a ice maker line leak and a fitting pop loose on a 1/2 water line fitting over the years. I was at home both times but I can’t imagine what the mess or the water bill would have been if we were on one of our trips.