Going for a Winter Vacation? Winterize Your Home for Careless Absence

Devising and carrying out a vacation plan can be a real pain in the neck, but leaving your „baby “unattended is a different story altogether. Every home requires some maintenance when we hit the tropics in the summer, but going away in the winter time is a level up in the game. Take some precautionary measures with help from Roofing USA LLC to ensure your beloved home is safely tucked in while you’re out and about skiing, making snowman or sipping mulled wine next to a fireplace somewhere in the mountains.

Save and safe

Make sure you’ve unplugged all the major appliances and electrical devices such as desktop computers, TVs, coffee machines, stoves and even digital clocks that run on electricity. Even though it’s not turned on, every one of these slurps on surprisingly high amounts of energy in a standby mode. This feature drains up to 15 % of the total energy consumption on the sly. Don’t get too carried away in the process, since freezer and fridge should work undisturbed. Additionally, you diminish the risk of fire with this measure.

Fresh and spotless

Proceed with clearing up the cabinets, as well as refrigerator and freezer, removing the rotting threats and bound to be spoiled food. Clean up the sink and take out the trash – you don’t want rats and other pests knocking on your door. Consider tidying up the whole place – it removes one potential stressor after the trip. Also, it’s always nice to come back to pristine conditions.

Temperature

You definitely don’t want to dismiss low readings on the outside thermometer as unimportant. Tweak it to an appropriate number if you leave pets or sensitive cultures in the house. If not, set your thermostats at around 55 degrees F (13 degrees C), as the installations may freeze at some point. Keep all the passages in the house free (doors and such), as you want the air to move unobstructed and maintain the heat conditions uniform throughout the house.

Pipes

It’s advisable you remove water from all pipes. Shut down the valves and let it go through the open faucets. For excess air and water to drain, leave one faucet open at the bottom level of your place. If you have, by any chance, forgot to turn on the heater completely, or it happened despite the preps, it’s best to have the number of emergency plumber in check, to act expediently if problems occur.

Housekeeping

Engage your trustworthy friend, neighbor or family member living nearby to check up on your home, water the plants, feed the animals or just create the appearance of someone staying in the residence. They may also take care of the newspaper and other mail, or you can leave special info to your mailman. Alternatively, relatives from afar may occupy your place and guard it while you’re gone.

Insurance and security

Tend to your insurance policy arrangement, as some demand you enter the house at least once a day for it to be valid. Contact them to reach some deal if possible. If you have the alarm system, call the company to get the instructions on a proper when-out-of-house behavior.

Hit the road

Put your mind at ease by ticking off all the safety precautions of the list and embark on a trip to your well-deserved winter fairy tale.