Turn off mains water?

[daverobev]

We're going to be away for ~ 2 weeks.

We have a nearly new forced air furnace, so I'm not particularly worried about the heat going off, though of course it could if the gas or electric is out.

Night temperatures will likely be down to -10 degrees C while we're away. Daytime 0 or just above.

There is a tap in the basement, but also the town can come and turn a thing off in the front lawn to disconnect us.

Small house. I'm not planning on draining the HWT either way.

Oh, the downside to getting the town to turn it off is that we return on a Sunday. And we'll need water that evening and the next morning.

With the insurance we have, we are not covered for bursts if we're away longer than a week in the winter, I believe.

[MasterStache]

We never turn off the main. But we do turn off water lines to the washer as that is the most likely place for water leakage/bust. I suppose you could do sinks and toilets as well. You could also have someone check in on the place daily to make sure everything is kosher. 

[trollwithamustache]

if you turn the main off, don't you then want to drain? Since the stagnant water can freeze unevenly and still burst a pipe depending on your layout.

Or, drip away to keep heat flowing. yup that's right he said heat not water even though water is what is moving...

[FIRE Artist]

You don’t need to turn it off at the curb cock, just in the house. There should be a main valve in the basement at floor level, turn that off, then drain the system in the house by opening up any taps you have in the basement, if none there, then the lowest in the main floor.

If any standing water remaining in pipes happens to freeze, it shouldn’t cause damage as there is expansion room with all the air in the pipes.

The city will charge you to turn the water off at the street, and make you wait around for them to arrive. Don’t go that way unless you plan to do maintenance like replace your main shut off valve. 

[Prairie Stash]

My insurance is void after 72 (48? I should check) hours unless someone stops by the house. The longer problems exist the more likely there is to be secondary and tertiary problems.  Also theres a concern about burglary from vacant houses, key signs are excess mail at a house. If you want to keep your house insurance active you likely need to have someone stop by regularly.

One nice thing about turning off the water for that long is you can check for very small leaks. I lose a few liters a week in a toilet, now I know. Its not worth fixing, it was interesting to find out. I came back after a trip and the tank was low. It's a very slow leak.

[RetiredAt63]

I'm in the country so on a well.  I turn off the power to the water heater and the well pump if I am gone for more than a day.

[GuitarStv]

You don’t need to turn it off at the curb cock, just in the house. There should be a main valve in the basement at floor level, turn that off, then drain the system in the house by opening up any taps you have in the basement, if none there, then the lowest in the main floor.

If any standing water remaining in pipes happens to freeze, it shouldn’t cause damage as there is expansion room with all the air in the pipes.

+1

This is exactly what I'd suggest.

[Glenstache]

If this is a regular issue for you, there are leak-detection water main shutoff valves that you can install. This probably won't work for this trip, but might provide peace of mind. You can also get models that have a thermostat and shut off when the temp drops below a fixed value.

[bacchi]

Can't you borrow/buy a water meter key to turn it off at the street? A wrench will work too.

[daverobev]

You don’t need to turn it off at the curb cock, just in the house. There should be a main valve in the basement at floor level, turn that off, then drain the system in the house by opening up any taps you have in the basement, if none there, then the lowest in the main floor.

If any standing water remaining in pipes happens to freeze, it shouldn’t cause damage as there is expansion room with all the air in the pipes.

The city will charge you to turn the water off at the street, and make you wait around for them to arrive. Don’t go that way unless you plan to do maintenance like replace your main shut off valve.

Last time the town didn't charge, actually.

My concern is the section of pipe between the town's tap, which is in the middle of the front lawn, and the tap inside the basement. If the pipe between the two freezes I've got the worst outcome.

Now, that pipe length (from town tap to inside) is maybe 15 feet, perhaps less. And it is 8-10 feet from the furnace. In an unfinished basement.

I guess it'll be ok, just turning the tap off down there. I won't drain the hot water tank, just turn it off and open some taps so there is expansion space.

[daverobev]

Can't you borrow/buy a water meter key to turn it off at the street? A wrench will work too.

I don't think you're supposed to touch it? Plus it's buried under a couple of feet of icy snow :P

[daverobev]

If this is a regular issue for you, there are leak-detection water main shutoff valves that you can install. This probably won't work for this trip, but might provide peace of mind. You can also get models that have a thermostat and shut off when the temp drops below a fixed value.

Thanks. We often have a couple of weeks away in the winter. Much longer (ie, a month) and I'd drain everything no problem.

[former player]

Turning off the water supply without draining the system won't change whether or not a leak will happen but it will limit the amount of any leak.  Only draining the system will absolutely prevent any chance of a leak.

If you want to prevent pipes freezing without draining the system then leaving a tap (one at the lowest part of each separate system) to drip is a good way to do it: running water is harder to freeze.  If you are doing this, put some salt down the drain that the tap drips into so that the drain doesn't get frozen.  Putting some salt into the the other Ubends and the toilet pans might be a good idea too.

[daverobev]

Turning off the water supply without draining the system won't change whether or not a leak will happen but it will limit the amount of any leak.  Only draining the system will absolutely prevent any chance of a leak.

If you want to prevent pipes freezing without draining the system then leaving a tap (one at the lowest part of each separate system) to drip is a good way to do it: running water is harder to freeze.  If you are doing this, put some salt down the drain that the tap drips into so that the drain doesn't get frozen.  Putting some salt into the the other Ubends and the toilet pans might be a good idea too.

The only way to drain the system is to connect a hose up to the hot water tank, and I'm not doing that. I'm going to turn the water off down in the basement, turn the hot water tank off, and open the taps/empty the toilet.

So worst case, the pipe between the town's tap and ours bursts, water into the basement. Assuming that is unlikely, the next would be a problem with the HWT -> 40 gal of water. Not great. But not totally bad.