Summer Vacation Plumbing Hacks: Keep Your Pipes Problem-Free While You're Away

Ahhh, summer vacation. You’ve packed your bags, booked the Airbnb, and triple-checked that you didn’t forget your sunscreen, phone charger, or passport. But while you're sipping margaritas poolside or hiking into the wilderness, guess what’s still working 24/7 back home?

Your plumbing.

Yep, just because you’re off the grid doesn’t mean your pipes are. And if they’re not prepped for your absence, you might come home to more than just a pile of mail and a wilted houseplant. We're talking floods, foul smells, and sneaky water leaks that quietly rack up damage and dollars.

So before you hit the road, take a few minutes to hack-proof your home. These DIY vacation plumbing tips are the peace-of-mind passport your pipes deserve.

🚿 1. Turn Off the Main Water Valve (Yes, Really)

This is the holy grail of vacation plumbing hacks. If you're leaving for more than a couple of days, shut off the main water supply to your home. Why? Because no water = no leaks. It’s that simple.

Even a small leak from a supply line under your sink can wreak havoc over a week. One tiny crack, and suddenly you’ve got warped floors, moldy cabinets, and a plumbing bill that outpaces your vacation tab.

How to do it:
Find your main shutoff valve (usually in the basement, crawl space, or near the water meter outside), and turn it clockwise until it stops. Then, run a faucet to make sure the water stops flowing.

Pro Tip: If someone’s watering plants or popping by to feed the cat, just turn off individual supply valves instead—like those under sinks, behind the toilet, or on the washing machine hoses.

🧼 2. Give Drains the Smell Test (and a Pre-Vacation Rinse)

You ever open the front door after vacation and get smacked in the face by a stench that says something died in here?

That’s often your drains talking.

When water sits stagnant in a P-trap (that U-shaped pipe under your sink or shower), it can evaporate and let sewer gas creep back into your house. Gross. But fixable.

Quick Fix: Pour a half cup of baking soda followed by a cup of white vinegar down each drain you won’t be using. Let it fizz for 10 minutes, then flush with hot water. For drains you really don’t use (like a basement floor drain), pour in a few tablespoons of mineral oil—it slows down evaporation.

🚽 3. Flush the Toilet…and Then Again with a Twist

If no one’s using your toilets for a week or two, stagnant water can leave behind hard water rings or even give off odors. Not ideal.

Hack: Clean the toilet bowl before you leave. Then flush and pour in a half cup of bleach or a toilet bowl cleaner designed to sit long-term. This keeps things fresh and disinfected until you’re back on the throne.

Just don’t forget to leave the lid closed—nobody wants dust or rogue bugs dropping in.

🌡 4. Tame the Water Heater (and Save Cash)

Your water heater doesn’t need to keep cranking out 120-degree water while you’re snorkeling in Cancun. That’s like blasting the A/C in an empty house.

Option 1: Switch it to “Vacation” mode if it has one.
Option 2: Lower the temperature to around 50°F (10°C).
Option 3: Turn it off at the breaker (for electric heaters) or shut off the gas valve (for gas models) only if you're confident relighting the pilot light later.

Not only does this save you money, but it also protects your heater from damage if something goes wrong with water pressure or supply while you're gone.

🧺 5. Unplug the Washing Machine (Because Hoses = Sneaky Floods)

Here’s the silent killer of post-vacation joy: a burst washing machine hose.

These bad boys are under constant pressure. If they’re old or not secured properly, they can split and unleash an indoor tsunami—especially if your main water line is still on.

Prevention Plan:

• Turn off the hot and cold water valves behind your washer.

• Unplug the machine to protect against power surges.

• Consider upgrading to braided stainless steel hoses if you're still using rubber ones. They’re cheap insurance.

🪠 6. Clear Out the Garbage Disposal (Seriously, Do This)

Think your garbage disposal doesn’t matter while you’re gone? Think again.

Leftover food scraps can rot and stink up your whole kitchen. Even a tiny piece of potato skin or pasta can cause a smell so bad you’ll think something crawled in and died.

Fix It Fast:

• Run the disposal with cold water and a handful of ice cubes.

• Then toss in half a lemon or a few orange peels and grind them up.

• Finish with another cold-water rinse.

Boom. No stank, no slime, no surprises.

💡 7. Test Your Sump Pump Before You Jet

If your home has a basement and you’ve got a sump pump, don’t skip this step. A summer thunderstorm can dump an inch of water fast—and if your sump pump fails while you’re away, you’ll come home to a swimming pool where your storage bins used to be.

Test It:

• Lift the float manually to see if the pump kicks on.

• Or, pour a few gallons of water into the pit.

• Listen for proper drainage. If it hesitates, groans, or doesn’t start—get it looked at before you leave.

Bonus Hack: Invest in a sump pump with a battery backup. Storms knock out power. Backups save basements.

🕵️‍♂️ 8. Do a Whole-House Leak Check

Before you lock the front door and set your “Out of Office,” do one last slow walk around your house.

Check Here:

• Under sinks for signs of moisture

• Around your water heater base

• Behind the toilet

• Around the fridge if you have a water dispenser or ice maker

• Near your dishwasher

If anything feels damp or suspicious, tighten a connection, turn off that supply line, or make a quick call to your plumber before you go.

🧯 9. Prep for Power Outages (and Avoid Surprises)

Plumbing and electricity are odd roommates—especially during summer storms. A power outage while you’re gone can cause sump pump failures, disrupt water filtration systems, and trigger alarms on smart plumbing monitors.

Smart Add-Ons to Consider:

• Battery backup systems for sump pumps

• Wi-Fi-enabled leak detectors

• Smart shutoff valves that automatically close when a leak is detected

These tools don’t require a full smart home setup—and many send alerts straight to your phone.

📨 10. Leave Notes for House Sitters (or Yourself)

If someone’s house-sitting or checking in while you're away, don’t make them guess how to shut off the water if something goes wrong.

Leave a List:

• Where the main water shutoff valve is

• Where the circuit breaker is for the water heater

• Any appliances they shouldn’t use

• Contact info for your go-to plumber

Even if no one’s visiting, leave a reminder note for yourself: “Turn water back on” or “Check sump pump” so you don’t forget a step when you return in vacation mode.

🏖 Final Splash

Vacation is for you, not your plumbing. And with just 30–60 minutes of prep, you can help your home stay bone-dry, stink-free, and completely uneventful while you’re away.

Trust us: It’s a lot more relaxing to sip that piña colada knowing you won’t be mopping up water when you get back.

Now go enjoy your break. Your pipes have been prepped, your drains have been deodorized, and your washing machine has been unplugged. That’s what we call traveling smart.

Happy summer! ☀️🚿💧