How to Keep Pipes from Freezing While on Vacation
Learning how to keep pipes from freezing while on vacation is one of the most valuable winter skills a homeowner can have, because a burst pipe in an empty house can run for days before anyone notices. A pipe that bursts on the first day of a two-week trip can release tens of thousands of gallons of water, destroying floors, walls, furniture, and everything stored below the leak. Insurance may cover the damage, but the disruption, deductible, and loss of irreplaceable items make prevention far better than a claim. This guide gives you a complete plan, from thermostat settings to shut-off steps, so you can travel with confidence.
Why Vacation Homes Are at High Risk
An occupied home has built-in freeze protection that an empty home loses. People open doors, run water, cook, and notice problems early. A dripping faucet is heard, a cold room is felt, and a furnace failure is discovered within hours. In an empty house, none of that happens. A furnace can fail on the coldest night of the year and sit unnoticed until the pipes freeze, burst, and flood the home.
Vacation homes and seasonal properties face the highest risk, because they may sit empty for weeks or months through the coldest part of winter. Even a primary residence becomes vulnerable during a holiday trip if a cold snap coincides with the absence. Pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces, and unheated rooms are the first to go, and the damage compounds with every hour the leak runs. That combination of cold exposure and zero detection is what makes vacation freeze damage so severe.
The Right Thermostat Setting
The single most important rule is simple: never turn the heat off in winter, even to save money. Keep the thermostat set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit while you are away. Many insurers and plumbers recommend 55 to 60 degrees as the safe range. The extra heating cost for a week or two is trivial compared to the cost of a burst pipe.
Do not use a setback schedule that drops the temperature sharply at night while you are gone. Nighttime is when outdoor temperatures fall lowest, so a nighttime setback does exactly the wrong thing. Set a steady temperature and leave it. If your thermostat has a vacation or hold mode, use it to lock the temperature so a programmed schedule cannot override it.
Before leaving, test the heating system. Replace the furnace filter, make sure vents are not blocked by furniture or closed off in unused rooms, and confirm the thermostat batteries are fresh if it uses them. A furnace that fails because of a clogged filter or dead batteries is a preventable disaster.
Should You Shut Off the Water?
For any winter trip longer than two or three days, shutting off the main water supply is the most effective single step you can take. With the water off, a frozen pipe cannot flood your home, because there is no pressurized water to escape. Even if a pipe cracks, the damage is limited to the small amount of water already in the line.
Shutting off the water takes five minutes. Find the main shut-off valve, usually near where the water line enters the house, and turn it clockwise to close it. Then open the lowest faucet in the house and the highest faucet to relieve pressure and let water drain from the lines. If you have a water heater, check the manufacturer guidance: an electric water heater should be turned off or set to vacation mode if the supply is shut off, to avoid damage from a dry tank.
There are two exceptions to consider. First, if your home has a fire sprinkler system connected to the domestic water supply, shutting off the water may disable it, so consult your sprinkler installer first. Second, some boiler heating systems need water supply to function, so check with your heating technician if you have a boiler rather than a forced-air furnace. For most standard homes, shutting off the water is safe and strongly recommended.
Draining Pipes Before You Leave
For trips longer than a week in a cold climate, draining the pipes adds a second layer of protection on top of shutting off the water. After closing the main valve, open all faucets, flush toilets, and let the system drain by gravity. Use compressed air at low pressure to blow out remaining water from lines if you are comfortable doing so, or hire a plumber to winterize the system. Winterizing typically costs $150 to $400 and is standard practice for seasonal homes.
Do not forget the traps. Pour non-toxic RV antifreeze into toilet bowls, sink traps, and tub drains to prevent the standing water in traps from freezing and cracking the fixture. Never use automotive antifreeze, which is toxic and illegal to put into a plumbing system. A cup in each trap is usually enough. When you return, flush the system thoroughly before using the water for drinking or cooking.
Draining is especially important for homes with pipes in unheated spaces. A drained pipe cannot burst, no matter how cold it gets. If you are leaving a vacation home empty for the whole winter, full winterization by a plumber is the gold standard and is far cheaper than a single freeze claim.
Protecting Vulnerable Pipes
Before a winter trip, give extra attention to the pipes that freeze first. Insulate any exposed pipes in crawl spaces, attics, garages, and basements with foam sleeves. Seal gaps where pipes pass through exterior walls, and close foundation vents if your climate and home design allow it. Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor faucets, following the steps in our guide to fixing and preventing frozen outdoor faucets.
Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air can circulate around the pipes. This is a small step that makes a real difference during a cold snap. If a particular pipe has frozen before, consider installing heat tape on it before your trip, and test it to confirm it is working.
Close the garage door if water pipes run through or above the garage. An open or poorly sealed garage door can let in enough cold air to freeze pipes that would otherwise be safe, and this is a common and easily overlooked cause of vacation freeze damage.
Asking Someone to Check the House
A trusted person checking the house is the best early-warning system you can arrange. Ask a neighbor, friend, or family member to stop by every two to three days during your trip, more often during a cold snap. Give them a simple checklist: confirm the heat is running and the thermostat reads above 55 degrees, look under sinks for leaks, check the basement or utility room for water on the floor, and run each faucet briefly to confirm water flows.
Make sure your checker knows where the main water shut-off valve is and how to operate it. Leave the valve location written down in an obvious place, along with the number of your plumber. If a leak is found, the first action is always to shut off the water, and every hour saved reduces the damage.
If no one is available, consider hiring a house-sitting service for periodic checks. The cost, typically $25 to $50 per visit, is a bargain compared to flood damage. Some insurers even offer premium discounts for homes with regular checks during absences, so ask your insurer.
Smart Home Tools That Help
Smart home devices can watch your house while you are away. A Wi-Fi thermostat lets you monitor indoor temperature from your phone and alerts you if the temperature drops below a threshold you set. Water leak sensors placed near the water heater, washing machine, and under sinks can send an instant phone alert at the first sign of water, and some models can trigger an automatic shut-off valve.
An automatic water shut-off system, which costs $400 to $900 installed, monitors water flow and shuts off the supply if it detects continuous unusual flow, such as a burst pipe. For a vacation home, this is one of the best investments available. Temperature sensors in a crawl space or garage can also alert you to freezing conditions in the spots where pipes are most vulnerable.
Smart tools are a supplement, not a replacement, for the basics. A sensor that alerts you to a leak is useful only if someone can act on the alert, so pair technology with a local contact who can get to the house quickly.
Vacation Winter Checklist
Use this checklist before every winter trip. Set the thermostat to a steady 55 degrees or higher and lock it on hold. Shut off the main water supply for trips longer than a few days, and drain the lines for trips longer than a week. Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor faucets. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls. Insulate any exposed pipes you have been meaning to get to. Arrange house checks every two to three days and leave the shut-off location and plumber number in writing. Test the heating system and replace the filter before you leave.
When you return, do not just turn everything back on and assume all is well. Turn the water on slowly, check for leaks at every faucet and in the basement, and watch for reduced flow that could indicate a partially frozen pipe. If you notice anything unusual, keep the water off and call a plumber. For a broader prevention plan, see our frozen pipes hub and our guide to the temperature at which pipes freeze. If you need help winterizing before a trip, call (877) 762-1902.