Summer’s coming and for most of us, that means one important event: our annual vacation! While it’s tempting to focus on packing the right clothes and travel materials, it is just important to plan what will be happening at your house while you are away. Spending a little time in advance will ensure your dream vacation doesn’t end with the nightmare of returning to a home that has been flooded, burglarized, or harmed in other ways.
So before take-off in a plane, train or automobile for your vacation, be sure to complete this home checklist for a worry-free trip:
1.Stop mail and newspaper delivery. Don’t signal to potential thieves that you are not home by allowing mail and newspapers to pile up.
2. Hire someone to mow the lawn and take in your trash cans. Just like an overflowing mailbox is a certain sign that no one’s home, an unkempt yard is a sign that you’ve been away for a while.
3. Ask someone to feed the fish/cat and water the plants. Think about the living things you are leaving behind and make sure they will be well cared for.
4. Put your lights on a timer. Keep criminals wary of entering your house by having lights in various parts of the house go on and off in ways consistent with your regular nightly routine.
5. Tell friends and neighbors about your plans. There is no better deterrent for potential problems than having someone who knows when you will leave and return, as well as how to reach you while you are away.
6. Schedule an HVAC System Check. The best defense is always a good offense, so if you haven’t had your heating and air conditioning system checked this season, make sure you schedule an appointment with an experienced D&D technician in advance of your trip. Doing so will ensure that you won’t have to deal with leaks or other problems that have cropped up while you were away.
7. Empty the fridge of perishables. Throw away everything that might spoil. After all, when you walk back in the door, you don’t want to be overcome by terrible smells!
8. Unplug unnecessary appliances and turn down the A/C. Many small appliances, like coffee makers for example, use electricity even when they are turned off. So unplug them and save a little money. You can also safely turn down your air conditioning by four degrees or so as a money-saving measure, without any adverse effects on your furnishings or belongings.
9. Do a final walk-through. Just before you leave, take a five-minute walk through your entire home to make sure that the stove is off, that there are no dripping faucets or running toilets, and that all windows and doors are closed and locked.
For more information on how D&D Plumbing can help you get your home ready for an extended trip or vacation, contact us today. You’ll find that our friendly and knowledgeable technicians will do everything possible to make sure that everything is in good working order at home, so you can put all your focus on having fun while you are away!