Prepare Your Santa Rosa House for Vacation With These 7 Tips

Tips To Get Your Santa Rosa Home Vacation Ready.

Going on vacation means leaving your home empty for that time. Following these 7 tips to prep your house for vacation ensures your home is ready when you head out the door.

7 Tips To Prep Your House for Vacation

Give yourself peace of mind by using these tips to get your home vacation-ready.

1. Use Up Perishable Food Items

Start by making a list of the refrigerated items that are open (milk, cheeses, salad dressings, etc.). Do the same thing with open freezer and pantry items. Now, use those lists to generate a few meal ideas that make the most of what you have on hand. The earlier you start planning for perishables, the less food waste you will have, which is great for your budget and the environment.

2. Plan for Your Pets

Pet parents have an extra step to take care of when vacationing. Please don't leave finding a pet sitter until the last minute. It could mean leaving your pets with someone you (and they) don't know, or even leaving them at a kennel.

Dogs and cats prefer to be around people they know and trust. If you book a sitter long enough in advance, you can also schedule a few play dates to help build that trust. It also ensures you are comfortable with the person who will be caring for your furry family members while you travel.

3. Keep Up Appearances

Unfortunately, many criminals keep an eye on properties to look for signs that owners are away. You can minimize this by making sure your house looks lived in while you are on vacation. A few suggestions to get you started include:

• Trimming hedges and trees around the house to limit potential hiding spots
•  Arranging for the newspaper and mail to be held or for a trusted friend to pick it up daily
• Programming timers for different lights to make it look like someone is using them

4. Reprogram Your Thermostat

A programmable thermostat makes vacation prep so much easier. It only takes a few minutes to change the settings so you aren't heating and cooling your home while no one is using it. If you have a smart thermostat, you can even do this once you leave.

While you are checking the temperature settings, take a minute to also check when your last heating service was. If it has been a while, go ahead and schedule that for before you leave. This ensures a trained professional has looked over your system so no issues crop up while you are away. After all, the last thing you want to get an alert for while on vacation is an HVAC failure. Coming home to frozen pipes or a sweltering summer house are never fun things to return home to.

5. Water Your Houseplants

Many houseplants can go a week without you worrying about them. However, some are more finicky. If your green thumb is evidenced by a bunch of houseplants, you'll want to think about how they will get by while you are on vacation.

You may be able to use self-watering globes to keep houseplants moist while you are away. If your collection includes succulents, consider setting up a DIY string waterer that allows them to slowly draw water from a central container. Think about getting your A/C serviced to ensure your home doesn't get too hot for them while you are gone.

6. Perform a Deep Clean

Take a day to thoroughly clean your house from top to bottom. This type of cleaning goes way beyond dusting and vacuuming. You want to wipe walls, clean window treatments, scrub floors, and disinfect the kitchen and bathrooms. This way everything is clean and orderly when you get home.

If you don't want to spend a day doing this, consider hiring a cleaning company to come in and do it for you. Professional cleaners are an excellent resource, and they will leave your home thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized. Ask friends and family members for recommendations if you don't know a cleaner in your area.

7. Do a Last-Minute Walk-Through

Leave a few minutes to do a quick walk-through just before you head out. Check that windows and doors are locked, water is shut off, and all electronics are unplugged. This will allow you to leave and enjoy your vacation without the nagging feeling that you forgot something.



Get Your House Vacation Ready 

Following these 7 tips to prep your house for vacation is simple. When you do, trust Next Level HVAC with all of your heating and cooling needs. For more information about HVAC services, contact us at ​(707) 228-9921.