Water damage ranks as the second most common home insurance claim nationwide, and local professionals say empty homes during vacation are especially at risk.
RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — As families across the Triangle plan Labor Day getaways, local professionals are educating homeowners on how an empty house is one of the most common places for a small plumbing failure to turn into a five-figure loss. Professional Restoration Services, a Raleigh-area water damage restoration company, is urging homeowners across Wake County and surrounding communities to shut off their water supply before leaving town for any late summer vacations.
Water damage is not a rare event. Water damage ranks as the second most frequently filed home insurance claim in the country. It accounts for roughly a quarter of all homeowner claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average claim tops $13,900, and about 1 in 60 insured homes files a water-related claim every year.
Most Damage Starts Inside the Home
What surprises many homeowners is the source. Most water damage does not come from storms or floods. It comes from inside the house: supply lines to washing machines, dishwashers, ice makers, water heaters, and toilets. Many of these connections are held by small plastic fittings under constant pressure. When a water connection fails in an occupied home, someone notices within minutes. In an empty home, that same leak can run for hours or days.
The Triangle has seen the consequences firsthand. In a widely shared WRAL report, a Raleigh-area family returned from vacation to find water had sprayed from a failed toilet supply line for two days, soaking carpet, swelling floors, and leaving an estimated repair bill near $80,000. The family spent two months in a hotel. The contractor interviewed said his crews respond to similar supply-line failures three to five times a week.
A Short Pre-Vacation Checklist
The company recommends four steps before any trip:
1) First, locate and shut off the main water valve, often found in a hall closet, near the water heater, or just inside the crawl space.
2) Inspect appliance supply lines for corrosion and replace aging hoses with braided stainless steel versions, which typically cost under $10.
3) Consider a smart leak detector or automatic shutoff device.
4) Save the number of a certified 24/7 restoration company before your trip so you’re not scrambling to find one during an emergency.
Speed still matters even after a leak begins. Mold can start to grow on wet materials within 24 to 48 hours, which is why water that sits undetected while a family is away often causes far more extensive damage than the same leak caught quickly.
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Media Contact:
Restoration Digital Marketing
media@restorationdigitalmarketing.com
www.restorationdigitalmarketing.com
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Sources:
Vacation water shutoff case study and contractor account: WRAL, “Vacation checklist: Turn off the water.”
Insurance claim frequency and average claim cost: Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) homeowner claims data, 2018 to 2022.
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About Professional Restoration Services
Professional Restoration Services is a local Apex, NC disaster restoration company helping families and businesses recover from disasters. For more information, visit https://prshelp.com.
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Jeff Carrier
Restoration Digital Marketing
email us here
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