The final school bell rings today, which can only mean one thing – it’s SUMMERTIME! Now, the whole family is ready to start having fun in the sun! Perhaps you are planning a big vacation out of town, but have you tied up all the loose ends to assure that all will be quiet on the “home front?” We have a few tips to make sure you prevent any possible problems while your away for play.
Logistics – Make sure you discontinue the delivery of your newspaper and have a neighbor pick up your mail. Just to ensure your home isn’t a target for any unwanted guests. Another tip, perhaps you can put a few of your lamps on timers to make it look like you’re at home in the evenings.
Prevent Getting Waterlogged – Turn off the water in your house, but unlike winter vacations, you don’t need to drain the pipes. To prevent significant problems if a pipe breaks, close off the valve to the house and turn the water supply off. This will release the pressure in the event a pipe does break while you are away, and you won’t come home to a flooded house; the water in the pipe will just drain out.
Keep the Air On – Don’t just turn off your air conditioning, that can seriously damage all those luxury finishes, especially in Houston, Texas real estate because of the intense heat! Air conditioning keeps the air in the house from overheating, causing cracks in furniture, wood floors, cabinets, baseboards and crown moulding; or any wood detailing for that matter. Excessive heat can cause wood to shrink and eventually crack, but can be avoided by setting your thermostat to 82 degrees. Have no fear – the costs will not be overwhelming because your system will run only a little during the day and very little during the morning and evening hours.
Keep Your Water Heater On – Keeping the water heater on prevents bacteria build-up in your tank, which would require a thorough cleaning before you can use it. Make sure your tank is set to at least 120 – 140 degrees prevents bacteria build-up, so your water temperature is comfortable when you get home.
These preventatives before you take off for weeks can make your return home even more enjoyable! Happy Vacationing!!
