Before you go on your much-needed and well-deserved vacation, it’s a good idea to do a full inspection of your house to make sure everything is in order while you’re away. Gutter protection products company Gutter Helmet® of Eastern Shore has prepared a simple checklist for this particular task.
Check Inside Your Home
It’s good practice to unplug electronics such as kitchen appliances (with the exception of your refrigerator, depending on how long you’ll be away), chargers, televisions and computers. These gadgets consume energy even when they’re not in use, as long as they’re plugged in. This is known as phantom power use and it makes up about 10% of your household’s total energy usage. You should also check and deal with faulty wiring before leaving.
Apart from energy consumption and fire hazard concerns, you should also be wary of flooding. Turn off your water at the source to reduce the risk of water damage. Set your water heater to vacation mode if applicable. As for your thermostat, you don’t have to turn it off completely. However, you should set the temperature at a steady 82 degrees, just enough to keep the interior humidity in check.
Check Outside Your Home
Since you’ll be shutting off your water source, your timed sprinklers won’t be of much use. Hire someone or ask a friendly neighbor to check on your lawn every now and then while you’re away. It’s also a good idea to have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail and newspaper for you. Just don’t forget to return the favor. Mow your lawn and trim the trees in the surrounding areas so your home doesn’t look unkempt even when you’re away. You don’t want your house to look like there’s no one home so burglars won’t target your property.
Gutter protection products help in maintaining the appearance of your home, even when you’re away. Make sure you install only the best on the market with the help of Gutter Helmet® of Eastern Shore. Contact us at (866) 333-8150. We serve clients in Salisbury, Maryland.
