No more burst pipes

I read the readers' letters about "Managing Things at Home During an Extended Trip" (Feb. '19, pg. 32 & March '19, pg. 36). You don't have to be away for an extended period for things to become a problem at home.

Early one winter morning a few years ago, I awoke to the sound of water gushing in the basement. A pipe through the siding from the basement to an outside faucet had frozen and burst.

Luckily, I caught this in time, because if the water had flowed for days, it could have caused considerable damage. We also have a well, and water running continuously would have resulted in costly damage to the pump.

Pipes can break for a variety of reasons, so now, regardless of the season, when we go away — even for a weekend — we shut off the water where it enters the house.

If someone will be checking on your house while you're gone, show them where the shutoff valve is so that, if water is needed for any reason, he or she can turn it on, then shut it off again when leaving.

STEVEN COLE
Lowell, MI