When planning for an extended grand vacation, most of us leave out the part of preparing our homes for our long absence. However, getting our homes ready for our extended absence is just as important as preparing for our vacation. After all, who would want to go back to an unkempt house and pile of molding dishes?
Preparing your home for a long absence has a lot of benefits. Apart from ensuring that everything runs smoothly even when you are away, you will have some peace of mind that your home is safe and secured while you are relaxing and enjoying someplace far away.
Preparing Your Home for a Long Vacation
Switch off Water Supply
Broken pipes, malfunctioning appliances, and poor drainage are some of the main reasons for indoor flooding. And this major catastrophe is more likely to happen while you are away from home. Thus, the best precautionary measure against indoor flooding is to turn off your main water supply before leaving for your vacation.
Besides saving your indoor home structure and appliances from water damage, it also helps save on water utility. If you are worried about your garden, switching off your house’s main water line does not affect your sprinklers. You can be sure you will still have your lovely planters well-tended even when you are away.
Program Your Thermostat
Good if you have already installed a programmable thermostat. If not, it is highly suggested you should consider buying one, especially when you will be away from home for a while. Although a manual thermostat still does the job, you will end up with a huge electricity bill.
With a programmable thermostat, you can control your home’s indoor temperature remotely. The air inside your house needs to circulate to avoid condensation. It also helps prevent turning your home into an over, as excessive heat could severely damage your wooden interior.
Put Antifreeze to Toilets
If you are away during the winter season, consider putting marine antifreeze on your toilet. This helps prevent water in your toilet bowl from freezing and from your drainage pipes from expanding and cracking. Also, do not forget to drain out your water tank to avoid damaging your porcelain.
Check Your Home Alarm and Security Systems
Another must-have home preparation before leaving on vacation is to check your home security system. Make sure your home is burglar-proof with the following safety precautions:
- If you usually leave spare keys, consider moving them while you are away.
- Figure out a way to keep your mail from piling up. You may opt to cancel subscriptions or contact your local post office to have all your mails placed on hold.
- Make use of your light timer to make it appear as if someone is still inside.
- Contact your home security provider to let them know that you will be out of town for quite a while.
- Leave all doors and windows locked, including your pet doors. If you usually leave your curtains or blinds hanging in a particular way, leave them the way they are. It could draw attention if your house is suddenly curtained or shuttered.
- Lastly, do not post any information on your social media that you will be away on vacation. Also, wait until you get home before posting any pictures.
Unplug Electronics
Even when you are using a surge protector to plug your electronic appliances, opt to unplug all devices and turn off your surge protector. Doing these not only help prevent house fires in case a power surge happens while you are away, but it also helps you save money from electric bills. Electronic devices still draw out power even when they are switched off.
Mind Your Pets
It could be that you cannot or do not want to bring your pets with you on your extended vacation. If that is the case, make sure they are left in good hands while you are away. They need to stay with someone who could tend to their everyday needs.
You could opt to enlist the help of a friend or relative to sit for your pets. On the other hand, you could also opt to enroll your furry baby in a puppy training camp. That way, you are sure they, too, will have a blast even when you are away. On top of that, they will learn some new valuable skills.
Do Some Major Cleaning
Your kitchen pantry is something you should not overlook when going on an extended vacation. Opt to throw out or give away perishable food and beverages. Do some cleaning, especially on your kitchen and bathroom, as these places are more prone to molding. Empty all garbage bins and make sure you do not leave any unwashed dishes on the sink.
Lastly, if you have a trusted neighbor, you may enlist their help to check your house from time to time while you are away. Doing these things can guarantee your home’s security and cleanliness.
