Going on vacation? Don’t leave just yet! Whether you and the family are gone for five days or two weeks, there are a few priorities to your septic and plumbing systems that need to be taken care of. The last thing you want to come home to is a flooded basement or rotting food smell, that’s why we at Riley’s Decatur Sewer Service have put together a list of areas in your home that need to be attended to before leaving on vacation. Read below to learn more!
Main Water Supply
Protecting your home while you’re away is an obvious priority for homeowners when packing for vacation. While it may seem like burglars and non-potty-trained puppies are the biggest threat, think again. Your septic & plumbing system could have underlying issues you’re unaware of until its too late.
Before you leave, turn off your home’s main water supply while checking for leaks. Turning off your water supply will prevent any potential leaking or flooding that could take place if a pipe were to burst. This may seem excessive, but it’s an easy task that helps prevent potentially thousands of dollars in water damage and pipe reconstruction.
Drains & Garbage Disposals
It may be easy to forget, but checking your kitchen and bathroom drains as well as your garbage disposal for loose food, can prevent your home from smelling like a trash bin when you return. Before leaving home, simply fill some water in your kitchen sink and turn on the garbage disposal to ensure that no large food debris is left to rot. If you want to be extra cautious, you can add vinegar and baking soda to the drain to create a cleaning solution that removes any potential odors present.
Toilets
The bathroom is one of the dirtiest spaces in your home. We know that the last thing you’re going to be worried about when leaving for vacation is the cleanliness of your toilet. Unless there is an obvious mess, most homeowners clean only their toilets once every couple of weeks. It’s important before you leave on an extended getaway that your toilets are squeaky clean to avoid any unwanted sewer smells when you return.
Sump Pump
There’s nothing more terrifying than coming home to a flooded basement due to the sump pump overflowing. A great way to avoid any flooding travesties, fill a large glass full of water and pour it into the sump pump to see if it’s working properly. If your sump pump immediately turns on to disperse of the water, then you should be all good to go! If not, you may want to call us at Riley’s Decatur Sewer Service in Decatur, Illinois to conduct a proper inspection.
For all your septic and plumbing needs, contact us today!
