This time of year, everyone heads to the water…make sure you’re not coming home to it, too!
It seems like when you’re planning a trip, there’s so much to do before you go that it’s easy to over look some of the important things you’re leaving behind. If you’re leaving town, make sure to check out this list!
- Above all else, the one critical thing to do – shut off your water main. It only takes about 30 seconds to turn off and it’s a quick step that can save you from serious damage created by a burst water pipe. Laundry washer hoses and toilet filler tubes are the most common and unsuspected places that can cause major water damage. These connections are a little more fragile than the water pipes in your home’s plumbing system. If they fail, they will run with full water pressure until someone discovers it. If that happens while you’re away for several days, it could do tens and tens of thousands of dollars in destruction.
- Don’t announce or post pictures on vacation in real time while out of town on social media. Friends of friends of friends…aren’t always friends. It’s never a good idea to alert people that your home will be empty.
- Stop mail delivery. It’s not unheard of to have mail stolen out of roadside mailboxes and identity fraud is a very real threat.
- Stop the newspaper delivery or have a trusted neighbor pick it up every day you are gone.
- Set your thermostat. In the summer there’s no need to keep the house chilly and in the winter there’s no need to keep it nice and toasty while you’re gone for several days. You can easily bump it 10-15 degrees either way, keeping everything working, which can help save on energy and cost.
- Put your lights on a timer. The timers can turn selected lights on and off randomly through the dark hours in a couple rooms. There are even devices and apps that you can control various items in your home from your cell phone while you’re away.
- And, again, above all else…TURN OFF YOUR WATER MAIN!
And, then, most importantly, have a great trip!
