INSIDE THE HOUSE
1) Shut Off the Water
The surest way to prevent a water leak is to shut off the water to your home via the water main shutoff valve, usually located on the perimeter of the house, often between the garage and laundry room. If your shutoff valve is damaged, you can use the shutoff valve in your meter box at the curb. Keep in mind that turning off water here will also shut off your irrigation system.
2) Register with WaterSmart
If you’re leaving any part of your water supply on, make sure you’re signed up for WaterSmart, Woodlands Water’s customer portal. You can set up notifications for leaks or unusual water usage.
3) Emergency Contacts
If a leak does occur and you need to shut off your water, have a friend at the ready or call Woodlands Water any time of day at 855-H2O-SAVE.
FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE
1) Irrigation System Check
- Look for Leaks: Run your system to check for leaks in lines, joints and sprinkler heads.
- Ensure Flow: Make sure drip emitters are flowing freely.
- Adjust Sprinkler Heads: Aim sprinklers so they cover the lawn, not the driveway.
2) Irrigation Controller Review
- Review Settings: Ensure your system is set to deliver 1 inch of water per week to the lawn and 1 to 1.5 inches to plants.
- Check Rain Sensor: check that your rain sensor is working. The last thing you need to spend money on after a vacation is unnecessary watering.
- Replace Backup Battery: make sure you’ve got a solid backup battery in your irrigation controller to prevent power outages from screwing up your controller settings.
3) Mulching
Freshen mulch around plants and trees. 2-3 inches will go far in maintaining soil moisture and reducing soil temps. Keep mulch away from stalks and trunks to prevent fungal and bacteria issues from developing.
4) Pest control
Put away any buckets, tarps or lawn toys that could fill with rain and breed a hungry swarm of mosquitoes just waiting for your return.