July is the busiest month for plumbing emergencies in San Diego County and the Phoenix Metro area. After 10+ years and 3,500+ homes, I can tell you exactly why: it's vacation month.
People leave for trips without doing a few simple checks. Then they come home to flooded laundry rooms, ruined hardwood floors, and water bills that triple. The damage usually runs $3,000-$12,000. The prevention takes about 15 minutes.
This is the 12-point checklist I tell my own family to run before any trip 3+ days long. It works whether you live in San Diego, Mesa, Carlsbad, Scottsdale, or anywhere in between.
The 12-Point Vacation Plumbing Checklist
1. Find your main water shut-off valve
Most homes in SD County and Phoenix Metro have the main valve outside — usually in a green or blue plastic box near the front of the house. Older homes (pre-1990) sometimes have it inside, near the water heater or in the garage.
Test it: turn it off, then back on. If it sticks or won't fully close, replace it before summer is over. A stuck valve in an emergency is useless.
2. Turn the water heater to "vacation" or "pilot" mode
Most modern water heaters have a vacation setting on the dial. Tankless units have a switch on the front. There's zero reason to keep heating water in an empty house — it saves $5-15 on the gas or electric bill and reduces wear on the heating element.
3. Check under every sink for moisture
Get on the floor with a flashlight. Look at every supply line connection, every drain pipe joint, and the bottom of the cabinet floor. If you see any moisture, water spots, or rust, deal with it BEFORE you leave. A drip that's happening today will be a flood by day 5.
4. Run the dishwasher and washing machine the day before
Supply hoses on dishwashers and washing machines fail more often than any other plumbing component in your house. When they fail, they usually do it within 24 hours of being stressed. Running them the day before means if something is going to give, it gives while you're home to deal with it.
5. Check the toilet flapper in every bathroom
A leaking toilet flapper can waste 200+ gallons a day. If you're gone for 10 days, that's 2,000+ gallons of waste. Drop a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait 15 minutes, and check the bowl. If it's tinted, replace the flapper (a $5 part, 20-minute fix) before you go.
6. Inspect the washing machine hoses
If your washing machine has black rubber hoses, those are the original ones — and they typically fail at 8-10 years old. Replace them with braided stainless steel hoses ($25 at any hardware store). The peace of mind alone is worth it.
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We'll inspect every connection, check supply lines, and look at your water heater — bundled with our $67 drain cleaning.
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This valve sits on the side or top of your tank. If you see water dripping from it or staining around the pan underneath, your tank is over-pressurized — and that's how tanks burst. Call a plumber before you leave.
8. Test your sump pump (if you have one)
Most SD County and Phoenix homes don't have sump pumps, but if you do — usually in garages or basements — pour a 5-gallon bucket of water into the pit. The pump should kick on, drain it, and shut off. If it doesn't, you need a new one. They die without warning.
9. Check the outdoor hose bibs
Disconnect any hoses. Open the bib for 30 seconds and confirm it shuts off completely with no drip. A leaking outdoor bib can waste 100+ gallons per month — and in winter, it can freeze and burst the supply line inside the wall.
10. Look at the irrigation system
If you have automatic sprinklers, set them to run once. Walk the system while it's running. Look for broken heads, missing nozzles, and uneven coverage. A broken head will run constantly during your scheduled cycles and turn your water bill into a horror story.
11. For trips 5+ days: turn off the main water valve
This is the single best prevention move. Yes, your automatic ice maker won't work. Yes, you'll need to flush toilets manually when you get back. Worth it. A burst pipe with the main on can pump 2,000+ gallons into your house overnight. A burst pipe with the main off does nothing.
12. Document everything and tell your house-sitter
Snap photos of where your main shut-off valve is, where the water heater controls are, and where the irrigation timer is. Text those photos to your house-sitter, neighbor, or yourself. If something goes wrong, the difference between knowing where the shut-off is and frantically Googling at 11pm is huge.
What to Do When You Get Home
Don't just walk in the door and forget about plumbing. When you return:
- Turn the main water valve on slowly. A burst of pressure can dislodge old gunk in the lines and cause cloudy water for a day or two.
- Walk through every bathroom and kitchen. Check for drips, listen for hissing, look at the floor under sinks. If anything's off, deal with it now while it's still a $200 fix.
- Run the hot water for 2-3 minutes at every faucet. This flushes any stagnant water that sat in the lines.
- Turn the water heater back to its normal setting. It'll take 20-30 minutes to reach temp.
When You Should Call a Plumber Before Leaving
If ANY of these apply, get a pro out before your trip:
- Your water heater is 10+ years old (it's on borrowed time)
- You can hear hissing or running water when nothing is on
- Your water bill has crept up over the last 3 months for no obvious reason
- Any sink, toilet, or shower drain is slow (it'll likely fully clog while you're away)
- You see ANY discoloration on ceilings or walls (signs of a slow leak)
Pop & Go's $67 drain cleaning bundle includes a 20-minute camera inspection that catches most of these silent issues. Same-day appointments across both metros.
The Bottom Line
15 minutes of pre-vacation checks saves the average homeowner from a $3,000-$12,000 emergency. The five most important moves: shut-off valve test, water heater to vacation mode, sink moisture check, supply hose inspection, and (for longer trips) main water valve off.
Do this once and it becomes a habit. Your future self will thank you when you come home from your trip to a dry, calm, completely uneventful house.