Imagine returning home from vacation to find your home flooded. The feeling is even worse if you find out that you are financially responsible. Everyone wants to avoid this situation. When you will be away from home for more than a couple of days, there are some precautions you can take to prevent water intrusions inside the home. You should shut off the main shut off valve inside the home, you can also drain water out of the pipes but turning on the faucets until there is no more running water. Finally, if you are going to be away for 14 days or longer, please remember to notify RPM in advance. This is not only a good idea for the well-being and safety of your home, it is included in your lease terms.

Other common summertime water issues are leaks from storms. This happens more often than you think and in most cases is completely avoidable. Causes include clogged gutters and clogged storm drains in basement stairwells. Gutters and storm drains should be free of leaves and debris so the rain can be directed away from the home. If you notice overflowing gutters or water backing up around a storm drain, there is usually debris causing a backup. It is crucial to clear these clogs and to keep these areas free of debris. Storm drains take only a few moments to remove the debris. Gutters are a little more difficult. If you feel this is not a task you can safely manage, there are companies that will do this for you.

These are both minor maintenance items that you are supposed to maintain on a regular basis. Last summer, during one of the August storms we had four homes flood, all from debris in the storm drains. The tenants’ insurance policies did not cover the damage to the inside of the home, only the tenants’ personal property. As these damages resulted from the tenants failure to fulfill their maintenance obligations, the tenants had to pay for the repairs to the home, which ranged from $3,000 to $5,000. The time and cost of attending to these tenant maintenance responsibilities are minimal when compared to the potential issues that arise when they are neglected.

Bonus Tip: To save on utility bills while on vacation, set your thermostat to a warmer temperature, and if your hot water heater has a vacation mode, set it to vacation mode so the unit does not cycle on and off while you are away.

Avoiding Home Damage While on Vacation