If you’re going on vacation, there will be certain tasks you will want to accomplish before you leave, including stopping the mail, arranging for someone to care for your pets, and more. Aside from these important tasks, you should also take action to secure your home before your trip. Doing so can help prevent disasters from occurring while you’re away.
Here are 5 important tasks you should complete to ensure that your home is as protected from disaster as possible:
Turn Off the Main Water Supply – Unless someone is house-sitting for you, it’s wise to turn off the water supply in your home. A leak could wind up becoming disastrous, especially if no one is around to take care of it right away. Turning off the main water supply can help prevent floods and unexpected water damage from happening while you’re on vacation.
It’s best to have a plumber install a 3/4-turn valve at the shut off in your home to make this task easier and not run the risk of breaking the main shut-off, which isn’t meant to be turned jon and off frequently.
Regulate the Temperature – Before you head out the door, make sure that your thermostat is set to accomodate the outside temperature. In the summer, set it at a higher temperature but don’t turn it off completely. This will help you save money while still keeping the indoor humidity at a reasonable level to impede mold growth. It will also help protect your home from the effects of excessively warm temperatures, which could cause your wood flooring to expand and buckle and any wooden doors to close improperly.
In the winter, turn the thermostat to a lower temperature, but it’s wise to keep it above 60 degrees so that pipes do not burst while you’re gone.
Check the Sump Pump – Rainwater can also be catastrophic, especially if your sump pump fails and a major storm appears while you’re out. Ensure that your sump pump is working properly before you leave; otherwise, you could find yourself coming home to a flooded basement. Simply pour a bucket of water into the pit to check its efficiency – the pump should turn on when the pit fills with water.
Unplug Small Appliances and Electronics – Avoid any potential power surges and save a bit of money on your electric bill by unplugging small appliances and electronics before going on vacation. If your televisions, computers, laptops, and other electronics are plugged directly into a wall instead of a surge protector, simply pull the plugs. If they are plugged into a surge protector, just flip the switch to power it off. The only items you should refrain from unplugging are the freezer, refrigerator, and any items you’ve put on timers.
Test Your Smoke Detectors – If a fire breaks out, someone needs to be notified right away. Check that your smoke detectors work and that they have enough battery power before you step out the door. In the same vein, ask a family member, a close friend, or a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your home while you’re gone. He or she can intercede by notifying the authorities if a disaster happens.
Sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, disaster can still strike your home. If something does occur while you’re out on vacation, give the experts at Claria Clean a call. We offer commercial cleaning, along with disaster restoration for whenever the inevitable occurs.