Before You Leave for Holiday Travel: A North Texas Plumbing Checklist

Know where your main water shutoff is

Your main shutoff is the fastest way to stop water flowing through the house if a supply line fails. Find it before you travel, make sure it is accessible, and confirm it is not blocked by storage. If a valve is stiff, corroded, or leaking, do not force it; have it evaluated before relying on it.

For a longer trip, some homeowners choose to shut off the main water supply. That choice depends on the home and its equipment. If you leave the water on, knowing where the shutoff is—and making sure another trusted person knows—is still worthwhile.

Check the places that leak when no one is watching

Open the cabinets and take a quick look at connections most likely to cause water damage:

• Under kitchen and bathroom sinks
• Behind toilets and at toilet supply lines
• Washing-machine hoses and valves
• Dishwasher and refrigerator water connections
• Water-heater pipe connections and drain pan

Look for dampness, rust, staining, swelling cabinet material, or a slow drip. A small issue is much easier to deal with before a trip than after it has had days to spread.

Give your water heater a quick look

Check the floor and drain pan around the water heater for moisture. Watch for corrosion at visible connections, new dripping from the temperature-and-pressure relief valve discharge area, or a pan that already contains water. If you have an attic unit, do not ignore moisture because a leak can affect finished space below.

For more warning signs, see our guide to water-heater failure symptoms.

Test for a hidden leak before you go

When no fixtures or appliances are using water, look at your water meter’s leak indicator or take a photo of the meter reading. Check it again after a period without water use. If the reading changes, water may be moving somewhere it should not. That does not identify the source, but it is a reason to investigate before leaving.

For a closer look at possible hidden-leak symptoms, read why a water bill can suddenly rise.

Do not leave a slow drain or gurgling toilet for later

A slow sink, recurring toilet clog, gurgling fixture, or washer drain that backs up is an early warning—not a problem to test while you are out of town. If several fixtures are acting up together, the issue may be in the main drain line rather than one local fixture.

Avoid using chemical drain cleaner as a last-minute fix. It may not address the blockage and can make later service more hazardous.

Make the house easier to check

Ask a trusted person to check the home if you will be gone for an extended period. Leave them the main shutoff location and your contact information. Smart leak sensors near a water heater, washing machine, or under a sink can provide an early alert, but they do not replace correcting an existing leak.