Prepping Your Home To Go on Vacation

A vacation should be relaxing and stress-free. You don’t need to worry about your home while you’re away when you do take the time to prepare your home for your absence. Here’s a checklist from an HVAC contractor Santa Rosa to help you remember what you need to do to secure and protect your home when you’re taking a vacation.

1. Check Cleaning Chores

Coming home to a clean home after an extended vacation is a nice touch but cleaning up prevents many problems. Make sure you empty the washing machine. After a few days, your wet clothes may not be salvaged from the mildew odors. Clean out the coffee maker to ensure you switched it off. Taking out the trash means you’re not leaving an invitation for pests. Open your dishwasher to let it air out. Wipe down counters. Clean out the refrigerator of perishables. Run the garbage disposal to ensure you don't come home to an unpleasant odor that might be hard to get rid of.

2. Adjust Your Thermostat

HVAC contractors Santa Rosa don’t recommend turning your thermostat completely off, but you should adjust it closer to the outside temperature. You’ll save money on utility bills and give your HVAC system a break. A smart thermostat lets you adjust the system from an app on your phone. A few hours before you return, you can reset it to a more comfortable temperature. If it’s been a while since you’ve serviced your air conditioner or heater, ask Next Level HVAC for heating or cooling service.

3. Unplug Appliances

Don’t waste energy charging small appliances while you’re on vacation. Unplugging your electronics and small appliances is a good idea when you’ll be away for a few days or longer. You can also put your water heater on vacation mode to save money. Consider turning off the main water supply to your home and emptying the pipes of any residual water. You may not want to shut off water if you need to keep watering your garden or keep hot water on.

4. Remove Clues That Make Criminals Think You’re Away

Put your lights on timers to make people think someone is home. Have the post office halt mail delivery and stop any packages from arriving. Alternatively, ask a neighbor to pick up your mail and any deliveries each day. Mow your lawn and pick up your yard before you leave. Don’t mention your vacation on social media. Leave a car in the driveway or ask a friend to park in your driveway while you’re away.

5. Check Locks and Windows

Before you take off on vacation, go through your home and check all the doors to make sure the locks are working correctly. Make sure all the windows are closed and secure. Don’t forget to check the garage and any outdoor buildings. When you’re walking around outside, consider putting things in your yard inside the garage or your home to protect them against the elements and theft.

6. Take Care of Your Vehicles

If you are leaving your car behind, you should protect it from the elements with a tarp or by storing it in the garage. Run your car through the car wash to take off grime and dirt that cause deterioration. Depending on the length of your vacation, you may want to fill up the gas tank to avoid moisture from 0ding up and have the oil changed before it sits in the garage for a while. Arrange to have a friend start the car and drive it once a week to keep the battery charged.

8. Water Plants

Give your plants a good drink of water to keep the soil moist while you’re away. Watering globes are a nice investment to keep your plants healthy during a trip or ask a friend to come by and water them. Do a quick inspection to remove dead leaves and check for any problems that might need to be dealt with before your vacation.

9. Be Ready For Your Return 

Change the linens on your bed and make the bed. When you get home from vacation, you won’t have to do any work to get a good night’s sleep on your first night home. Have a meal ready in the freezer that you can pop in the oven instead of shopping for food while dealing with jet lag and a stack of mail.

Enjoy Your Vacation Through Careful Preparation

Have a checklist that you can work through while you’re getting ready to leave for vacation to avoid forgetting something important. When you’re away, you can check that list when you’re anxious about whether you locked a door or turned off the iron. Keep an HVAC contractor Santa Rosa in your phone if you have problems with heating and cooling, you have a trusted service team to call right away. Contact us at (707) 228–9921 and make an appointment or use our online form to send us a message.