Preparing Your Home for Summer Vacation

Whether you are planning a weekend getaway this summer or to leave your home for an extended period of time, there are a few quick and easy steps that you can take to prepare your home for your absence.

Your electric bill will definitely be lower than usual as long as you shut off all of your lights and turn off all of your electronics and appliances. Following these additional simple steps can also lower your bills while your home is unoccupied.

• Turn off your water supply if you are away from home for more than 1 week, this will only take a minute and can save you big money if you consistently do this while you are away. Also, water leaks are more prone to happen while you are out of the house and not home to monitor. If this were to happen while you are gone, it could spell disaster and cost you hundreds over a short period of time. To minimize property damage, make sure you turn off the water supply if you are away!
• A big savings opportunity comes from shutting down your hot water heater while you are enjoying vacation elsewhere. With no one in your home needing to take hot showers, turning off your heater can potentially be a big money saver. In most homes, you can easily turn off your water heater at the main breaker switch.
• Another easy way to save some money on your water bill is by turning off the ice maker in your freezer.
• Apart from saving some dollars, you should also be sure that everything in your home is working properly before leaving, such as your sump pump. Additionally, in order to avoid bad odors in your home, place a few ice cubes and some cold water down your garbage disposal to remove any leftover food particles that could stink up your home.

We hope that these tips help save you some money and prepare your home for your absence. Also, if you have someone checking up on your home, be sure to leave a list of emergency contact numbers, including your plumber!