Whoo Hoo! SUMMER VACATION!
But Wait! Before you go…
Here are a few tips to assure you return to your home in the same condition you left it in!
Who doesn’t need a vacation? Everyone is excited to get away, but before you go, there are a few things that can give you the peace of mind to relax without the anxiety of coming home to unexpected problems.
- Turn off your main water supply. Taking that extra step will help keep water damage confined to outside sources, not inside your home, giving you the peace of mind while you’re away.
- Shut off outdoor water spigots and put garden hoses away until you return. Leaving garden hoses on with a shut off nozzle at the end, can cause the water left in the hose to rise to extremely hot temperatures and rupture the hose during hot days. Consider a drip hose if you have plants that need to be watered while you are away.
- If you have a basement and/or a sump pump, failure could be catastrophic especially if left unattended for days while you’re on vacation. Test your sump pump before you leave by filling the pump drain opening to make sure it comes on. For extra assurance, there are a variety of alarm options that tie into your text messaging and can even alert your plumber should something happen while your away. To Learn More…Click Here!
- Turn down the temperature on your water heater to save on energy costs. Just don’t forget to turn it back on when you return!
- Dump a mixture of half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of water down your drains to keep them smelling fresh and clean while not in use. Also, run your garbage disposal to clean it of any food that may still linger. Nobody wants to come home from vacation to a smelly home or fruit fly infestation.
- While it might be tempting to turn off your AC while you are away, DON’T! Having your AC off during hot weather can prevent the air from circulating inside your home and foster mold and mildew growth. You can leave it turned up to about 85 degrees, which will save you on energy costs but still keep the air circulating on very hot days!
- Unplug small appliances and electronics. This will not only save you money, but will give you extra assurance that in the event of a power surge you won’t need to worry about replacement or damage.
- Put your security lights and indoor lights on a timer. Also, leave some of your curtains open, preferably the ones that are out of direct sunlight. Many people think they should close their curtains while they are away, but this can inhibit others from seeing what may be going on inside your home. If you can, let a trusted neighbor know you’re going to be away and how long so they can keep an eye on things.
- Stop your mail and paper service for a few days, so as not to alert others that you are away with accumulating packages, newspapers, etc.
- Consider surge protection for your major operational systems. This will help prevent damage in case of a storm or other power surge in your area while you are gone.
- And last but not least, if you have a security alarm system, notify your security company so they will know if the alarm goes off, it wasn’t because of you.
By taking these simple steps, you will have true peace of mind during your much deserved R&R!