I’m Going on Vacation – What Should I Do to My Home?

Ah, vacation the best part of every year. But the worst part of any vacation can be coming home to find that something went horribly wrong while you were away and you are now faced with a mess to clean up — or worse. In this article, I’ll look at a few things we recommend that you do to your home before you leave for your well-deserved rest and relaxation retreat.

• Do not turn off your air conditioner. Set the thermostat to 79 degrees and leave it there. If you shut the AC system down you could come home to a structure that is now full of mold because it got so hot and humid inside. This is especially true if you are planning on being gone for longer periods of time as our snowbirds often do. If you travel extensively or spend long periods away from your domicile I recommend getting a smart thermostat that can be monitored from your phone or computer; that way if something does go wrong with the air conditioner you can react accordingly before you have a full-blown disaster.
• Turn off the water going to the home. Locate the main water shut off for your home or condo, and turn it off. In the event of a pipe break or some other water emergency the water damage will be limited to just what is in the piping system which is typically just a few gallons. If you want true peace of mind when it comes to water damage, I suggest installing a flood protection device that shuts the water off automatically if it is detected where it should not be.
• Unplug all non-vital appliances and electronics. By unplugging things that are not going to be used anyway, you’ll save energy and you will save those devices in the event of a power surge or nearby lightning strike. On the peace of mind subject, surge protection devices are available not only for individual devices but the entire home as well.
• Set up interior lighting. One of the biggest things would-be thieves look for is a home that sits dark for days at a time. It is the oldest trick in the book, however having different lights go on and off periodically in different rooms will give an outside observer the illusion that someone is home and moving about the house. This can be accomplished with some inexpensive timers from your local home improvement store or, if you have a Google Home or Alexa device you can buy special plugs that allow lights to be turned on and off from anywhere.

As always, these are just some basic steps and safety tips that can save you a lot of grief and aggravation after you just spent two weeks in Bora Bora unwinding. My last tip for the day I can not 100% verify as truth, however I have heard stories that unwanted creatures have made their way into a home via the sewer system and the toilet. If you want to make sure that doesn’t happen take some packing tape and tape the lid to the bowl closed!

Until next time my friends did you hear about the architect who had a phobia about over-engineered buildings? It turns out he had a complex complex, complex.

House Whisperer out!!