Preparing for a Vacation: Don’t Forget to Get Your House Ready

You’ve got your suitcases all packed and have arranged for your pets to be taken care of. You’ve requested your newspaper delivery be stopped and have arranged for a neighbor to pick up your mail.
Before you leave on vacation, don’t forget to do a bit of preventative home maintenance to ensure your home will be taken care of while you’re away and avoid any potential damage.
Here are a few items to add to your checklist before you leave.

Turn off Your Water Valve

The last thing you want is to come home from a relaxing vacation to a flooded home.
We’ve had many customers experience the following accidents while away on vacation: burst pipes, leaking water heaters, washer hose ruptures and leaking supply pipes — all of which can cause massive water damage and costly repairs.
Shut off the main water valve. This is one of the easiest and best cost ­saving steps you can take to protect your home. If you’re not sure where the main valve is located, it’s typically situated near the water meter.
Turn off individual supply valves. If for some reason you don’t want to turn off the main water valve, you can at least turn off the supply valves that connect to appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers as well as toilets.

Clean the Garbage Disposal

The stench of weeks of decomposing food in your garbage disposal will make your stomach turn. To neutralize any lingering odors before you go, try dumping some baking soda down the disposal. Let it sit for several minutes then follow with a warm water rinse.
It’s easy to forget this step, so put a sticky note near your garbage disposal to serve as a reminder to do this just before you leave.

Disconnect Appliances

To save money, it’s a good idea to unplug any desktop computers, coffee machines, electric kettles, microwaves, and televisions.
To prevent potential intruders, you may consider turning off your garage door. Automatic garage doors can be opened with a universal remote.

Water Heater Vacation Mode

Your water heater doesn’t need to be constantly on heating water even when you’re not home. To enjoy energy savings and to go easier on your water heater, turn it to vacation mode. On some systems, this is called a low or pilot setting.

Adjust Your Thermostat

If you’re vacationing in the winter, a setting of 60 degrees F is ideal. During the summer months, set your air conditioning system to 85 degrees F and set it to run less often.
The Plumbing Dr. in Arlington, VA is here to aid you in your plumbing headaches 24/7 by providing upfront pricing. Call us today at (703)­525-­9280 to schedule your appointment.