Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: I would like to advise people to stop and remember to do something that could save them thousands of dollars if they would only take a minute: Turn off the water at the main valve before going on vacation.

My brother and his wife just returned from a two-week vacation to find that they had an upstairs toilet that had sprung a leak while they were away, and it must have run water for at least two days.

Now they have to replace a lot of kitchen cabinets, flooring, carpets, ceilings and some walls! In order to do that, they have to move out of their home for at least three months. You just never know what can go wrong while you are out.

So, please turn off the water when leaving for a vacation. — L.A.L., via e-mail