When packing your luggage for your trip, it is advisable that you also prepare your house for imminent departure. From throwing away food about to expire to ensuring everything is secure, completing some simple tasks can be very beneficial that you’ll be glad you did, especially when you get back from the vacation. Hopefully, these tips will give you an idea of what you need to do before you travel for your vacation.
1. Consult an HVAC Service
You need to schedule an appointment with an HVAC professional to make sure everything is in good condition in the weeks preceding your departure. This is very important if your trip is going to be an extended one. If no one is staying in your home, you should consider putting your thermostat at a lower temperature. This will reduce your heating costs and prevent potential damage to the flooring or furniture.
2. Check Your Plumbing
To ensure that a leaky or busted pipe doesn’t end up damaging your home, hire a professional to check your plumbing prior to traveling. If you plan on staying away from home for a while and there’s nobody willing to watch your home, turn off the water. In case your vacation is in the winter, consider draining the water out of your pipes. If this isn’t done, try to keep the house warm so as to keep the pipes from freezing and subsequently busting. Consult your plumber to find out the correct steps for your home.
3. Unplug Any Unnecessary Electrical Appliance
Unplugging unnecessary appliances, extension cords, and chargers from their outlets prior to leaving your home will significantly decrease the probability of a fire outbreak. Your home preparation checklist should at least include the following:
· Televisions
· Gaming systems
· Extension cords
· Phone chargers
· Hairdryers
· Curling irons
If there’s someone staying in your home while you’re away, use your discretion in determining what to put on and what to unplug. If you’re embarking on a long trip, consider getting an electrician to have a look at the wiring, outlets, and panels.
4. Tidy Your Home
It is incredibly refreshing to come home after a vacation to see your home in a tidy state. The reverse is the case if you leave your home for a vacation without cleaning it. To make sure this doesn’t happen, take some time before leaving to tidy up the home. The following are some home precautions you should consider when traveling for a while:
· Organize the fridge and ensure that all the perishable foods are thrown away.
· Clean your kitchen countertop to make sure any stains don’t sit. If you own a quartz countertop, you could decide to cover it up.
· Change your smoke detectors’ batteries.
· Clean your gutters.
· Discard dead trees or overhanging branches.
· If needed, make plans for somebody to clear snow or mow your lawn.
5. Home Safety
We need to be careful about what we post on social media during vacations. This is because it could alert potential thieves to the fact that your home is vacant. To avoid this, ensure that you check that your social media accounts have the right privacy settings.
In addition to this, consider these tips:
· Ensure that the security system of your home is properly working.
· Store valuables in different places so that a burglar doesn’t get access to everything at once.
· Stop delivery of newspapers and mail or tell a trusted neighbor to pick them up for you.
Featured photo by R ARCHITECTURE on Unsplash.
