Seasonal Residents & Visitors

• Consider charging extra for extra towels/linens requested.
• Include this vacation rental flyer in your welcome binder for visitors.
• Request a free bathroom water conservation sticker by contacting conserveh2o@azwater.com
• Thoroughly inspect the property after tenants have checked out to investigate any running water or leaks.
• Consider installing water efficient technology in your rental space such as high efficiency showerheads, faucets, toilets, dishwashers, washing machines and more.

You can learn more about this here: https://www.epa.gov/watersense

• Remove aerators from faucets and spigots to allow build up to drain and reconnect any disconnected flex tubes to their fixtures.
• To avoid overwhelming the pipes and potentially causing a leak, turn the main water supply valve on gradually, to the halfway point.
• Turn the valve about 1/8 of a full turn then wait 10 seconds.
• Repeat this until the valve has been turned to the halfway point.
• Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for turning your water heater, boiler, and softener back on.
• Turn on all the indoor plumbing fixtures one at a time. Let showerheads and faucets run until the flow is smooth and clear and flush toilets to make sure they are working properly. Repeat the process with outdoor fixtures (ex., hose bibs, outdoor showers, etc.).
• Go the extra mile: Capture water from flushing shower heads/faucets/hose bibs in a watering can or bucket and use it to water outdoor plants.
• Turn the main water supply valve on fully, gradually, using the same method as when turning it to the halfway point.

• Walk the full interior and exterior of the home to check for leaks. Not sure where to start? Check out the Smart Home Water Guide for a step-by-step guide on finding indoor and outdoor leaks.
• Leak Detection Video Series

• Start with outlets (i.e., showerheads, faucets, toilets) at the highest point in your home and work your way down to those at the lowest point, running the showerheads and faucets and flushing the toilets.

• Disconnect and store outdoor hoses and run any hose bibs to drain them.
• If you have an irrigation system in place, you’ll need to drain this as well.
• Some irrigation systems have an auto-drain feature. To activate this feature, briefly run one of the heads on the system to relieve the water pressure. The auto-drain feature will clear pipes of excess water once the pressure falls below the set threshold.
• For manual irrigation systems, open the manual valves at the ends and low points of the piping to drain water from the system. Once drained, close all valves.
• Don’t forget to drain the backflow device.
• Go the extra mile: Capture water from draining shower heads/faucets/hose bibs in a watering can or bucket and use it to water outdoor plants.
• Since the water will be off, you can also turn off gas/electric to your water heater and drain it according to the manufacturer instructions, to save energy.
• If turning the water supply off doesn’t work for your home (e.g., you have a fire sprinkler or other water-reliant system in place), then make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your home against water emergencies:
• Conduct thorough leak checks (both indoors and outdoors)
• If your home is unoccupied in the winter months:
• Keep the heat set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit, insulate pipes in exterior walls/attics/crawl spaces, and open cabinet doors to let heat circulate around the pipes underneath sinks and appliances.

• All outside pipes and faucets.
• Inside pipes and faucets in unheated areas like attics, basements, garages, and crawl spaces.
• Taking these simple steps will protect your pipes from freezing and bursting, which will save your home and your wallet!
• Winterizing Your Home Guide