You’ve bought your tickets, planned your itinerary and packed your suitcases. Everything is set and everyone is excited. But coming home from a memorable trip and learning that a pipe leaked or burst while you’re gone can be downright devastating.

Whether you’re leaving for a long weekend or a month-long getaway, proper preparation can help prevent coming home to a disaster. Here’s how to prevent plumbing disasters while on vacation.

Test your sump pump

Sump pump helps keep water out of your basement. If a major storm comes while you’re gone and your sump pump fails, you could come home to a flooded basement. 

It’s a good idea to test your sump pump before you leave. Dump water down the sump pit and make sure that it’s in proper working condition.

Check for leaks

Even a small leak can turn into a large problem if left unattended. Inspect the water heater for cracks and rust. If that water tank leaks, you’d better catch it quick. Inspect the hoses, making sure that there are no leaks or kinks. Also, check all the pipes under the sink as this may also be a source of undetected leak. If you do find something, be sure to address the problem as soon as possible. 

Turn off main water valve

Locate your main water shut off valve. If you don’t know where it is, look for you water meter. It should be located nearby. Turning off the main water valve cuts off water to the house. This is your best protection against catastrophic water damage. 

Ask a friend to help

Ask a neighbor, a friend or a relative to check on your home periodically while you’re away just to make sure everything is in order. It may be a good idea to give this person a key to the house. Also, make sure that he or she knows where the main water valve is located in case a pipe bursts or leaks. 

If you play hostess every year, you might want to think of ways to make holiday entertaining simple. This is because a lot of time is spent entertaining guests, preparing and eating meals with family and friends. 

If you’ve been considering remodeling your kitchen in preparation for the holidays, we suggest that you start now. Some of you might think that it’s too late to start a remodeling project, but if you begin now, you’ll have plenty of time to work on this project and make sure that everything is in order before Christmas arrives. 

Here are some remodeling ideas to get your kitchen ready for the holidays. 

Get a new kitchen island

People with small kitchen spaces know the chaos that can result from preparing meals for a large gathering. Half-prepared meals, along with the ingredients, end up in chairs. In some cases, we even place them on top of stove burners that are not in use, or worse, the floor. 

Adding a new kitchen island will provide you with a much-needed prep space. Plus, your guests can use this space to gather while you prepare a meal.  

Remove the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room

Are you dreading the thought of having your family over this holiday season and end up crowding into your little kitchen so they can talk with you while you prepare food for everyone? If so, then you might want to get rid of that pesky wall. Preparing holiday meals and accommodating large groups of people can be a lot easier if you open up the space. 

Add storage

You can maximize unused space by adding additional shelving to hold your cooking oils, spices and other go-to items for easy access. Pots and pans can be hung from the ceiling. A reclaimed rack can be mounted to the wall to store wine glasses and bottles. Utensils can be hung on a rod and a magnetic knife rack to hold all your knives. 

Christmas is such a joyous occasion. Everyone is looking forward to eating good food and spending time with their family. However, holiday meal preparation and clean up can lead to a lot of unwanted waste in the kitchen. Plus, extra occupants who require additional toilet flushes, hot water usage, showers, and washing can put a strain on your drain system. 

As much as you try to avoid plumbing problem during the holidays, you still end up with clogged sinks, toilets, disposals, and sewers.

Here are some tips to avoid holiday plumbing disasters.

Turn off water before going on vacation 

There is nothing more frustrating than coming home to a flooded home. To prevent plumbing disasters, make sure that you turn off the main water valve prior to your trip.

Pipes are susceptible to freezing during the winter. Water inside them expands as the temperature drops. This causes the pipes to freeze and burst. Shut off the main water valve when you leave your home, even if it’s just overnight. This is the best protection against catastrophic water damage.

Use a strainer screen 

During the holidays, you cook more food and wash more dishes. Having guests also mean taking more showers. 

Hair and food particles that go down the drain can cause it to clog eventually. Using a strainer screen can help prevent these issues. They keep hair from clogging your bathroom sinks and bathtubs. Plus, they prevent food particles from going down the kitchen sink.

Give the garbage disposal a break 

Your garbage disposal is not a trash can, so you shouldn’t treat it like one. Overloading your garbage disposal can damage the blades and create clogs. Never feed your garbage disposal with items such as fibrous foods, fruit and vegetable peels, and bones.

Never dump grease down the drain 

Fat and grease are common bi-products of any holiday feast. But they are a drain’s worst nightmare. Pouring excess grease down the drain may not seem like a big deal, but they tend to harden as they cool down. This can seriously clog the drain.

Be mindful of what you put down the drains. Pour excess grease in an empty container and then throw it in the trash can.

Get your trashcans ready 

Throwing trash like cigarette butts, kid’s toys, sanitary napkins, and paper towels down the toilet can create a plumbing disaster you don’t want to deal with. Place trash cans in the bathroom, so guests won’t be tempted to throw trash elsewhere.