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Memorial Day is approaching! Hopefully your long-awaited vacation is approaching too. To ensure it is relaxing and that you don’t have to fret about your home, I’ve compiled tips to help you avoid headaches—both while you’re away and upon your return.
Don’t announce your absence with a dark house. Set timers on both indoor and outdoor lights.
Mow and trim your lawn before you leave, and/or hire someone to handle it while you’re away. An untrimmed lawn
is another sign to burglars that no one is home.
Stop your mail and newspaper, and have a neighbor park in your driveway for the same reason.
Shut off your main water valve prior to leaving to avoid potential plumbing issues. If you’re going on an extended vacation,
have a neighbor come over periodically to turn the water back on, run faucets and flush toilets.
Speaking of toilets, throw half a cup of chlorine into the bowl before you leave to avoid bacteria stains.
Clean out your refrigerator. Nobody likes to come home to spoiled food. Empty the trash before you leave too.
Set your thermostat to between 80-85 degrees in order to save on energy and on cooling costs.
Set your water heater to vacation mode if this setting is available.
Unplug small appliances, including computers and televisions.
Check all smoke detectors to ensure they’re working properly.
Ensure locks are working properly, including those on the windows. Lock up before you leave and set your alarm.
(By the way, it never hurts to notify your alarm company that you’ll be out of town.)
Ensure your homeowners’ policy is up-to-date.
This article was provided by Art Smith at AAA Insurance in Holly Springs.
