How to Prepare Your Home for Your Absence When You Travel
Once the holiday cheer dies down and the January chill starts to set in you might start thinking something like: “Wow, Costa Rica is supposed to be really nice this time of year.”
And you, being a savvy money saver, didn’t spend all your money on gifts and actually can afford to take a few weeks and get lost in some sunshine. Congratulations! Now all you need to do is plan your trip, get some travel insurance, and make sure you leave you keep your home safe while you’re gone.
Here’s how.
Have a trustworthy buddy that can stop by the house regularly
Make sure someone can pick up the mail, and maintain the outdoor spaces so as not to let the house look empty. It’s important to prepare your home this way because an empty house is attractive to burglars, who often pay close attention to houses over a period of time to determine how safe a target it is.
A friend can also make sure the home hasn’t suffered any problems despite any precautions you take. It’s for this reason that if you decide to ignore everything else in this article, please don’t ignore this. Get a friend to house sit.
Don’t become a target for burglars
Having someone come by to check mail or shovel the driveway when its needed can go a long way to making the house look lived in. You can also use light timers to trick thieves into thinking people are still home at night.
Leave valuables somewhere else where they can be safe or take them with you. Don’t leave them in the house if you can or at least make sure they’re well out of sight. Another way to prepare your home is to lock your car in a garage. You want to avoid the need to file an auto insurance claim. A car left unattended for a long time might as well have “BREAK INTO ME!” painted all over it.
Unplug electrical appliances that aren’t surge protected
A power surge or unexpected damaged wire could lead to burning down everything you own. A home insurance claim isn’t what you want to come home to deal with.
Drain the pipes
One of the most important things you can do to prepare your home is to drain the pipes. Start with the main water supply valve at the exterior of the house. Turn the water supply off completely. This will prevent the pipe from bursting should there be a very cold day while you’re away.
Once that’s taken care of, open all your faucets and let them run dry. This is especially important for those who live in an area with a history where frozen pipes are problematic. Make sure you drain everything including toilets and even the water heater (make sure to disconnect the gas or electric supply first).
You might need some tips on getting the drains completely clear, but luckily for you the internet is full of them.
Don’t just turn your heat off
Aside from coming back to an icebox, it’s important to keep things dry and above freezing temperature especially if you elect not to fully drain your pipes.
Try to clear your refrigerator of anything that will go bad while you’re gone
I’m guessing you’re not going to want to come back to a mutated pile of toxic garbage in your refrigerator so it makes sense to chuck any items you know won’t make it through your trip. In fact, you may want to completely empty both your fridge and freezer as there is a possibility that the power may go out during trip, letting things thaw out and spoil before being re-frozen/refrigerated. That can be pretty dangerous, so ideally clean them out, wash them and leave them unplugged and open so as to prevent any mould from building up in the dark.
Keep unwanted “tenants” from your home
Keeping your home free of rats and other sneaky critters comes down to cleaning thoroughly. Try to leave the house well swept and vacuumed. Move your food into critter proof metal containers or into metal-lined cupboards and cabinets if possible.
Place repellents around certain areas like the garage, under the kitchen sink, and on the counters. Don’t leave any garbage in the house when you leave and wash out the kitchen bins too to avoid attracting animals or insects.
When you’re going on vacation the last thing you need is to worry about your home, so take some precautions and have plenty of fun.
Image Courtesy of Adobe Stock