The sun, the beach, a cruise; picture a fabulous sun-filled vacation. Now picture coming home and finding a burst water pipe has been pouring thousands of gallons of water throughout your home while you were gone!
How can this happen? Easily. An extremely cold day, common for Essex County, or even a furnace that decides to quit at the wrong time can cause the temperature in parts of your home to fall below freezing. When water freezes, it expands and this expansion can easily cause a pipe to crack or burst resulting in a massive amount of water being released. Even in the summer months, the water line to a fridge with an ice-maker can let go. With no one checking on the house a torrent can go on for days causing huge amounts of damage and even mould.
Of course, the easiest and most sure-fire way to avoid this situation is to shut off the water when you are going to be away for an extended period. Also, making sure your furnace is checked and serviced every year can help avoid this problem.
Many home insurance policies contain language that makes it mandatory for you to have a responsible person checking on your home if you are away. Before you go, call your insurance broker to make sure you are aware of any coverage restrictions. Most importantly, after everyone has visited the bathroom one last time before your road trip, turn off the main water valve and have a worry-free vacation.