Summertime means vacation time! Before you start packing, you should start checking … your home! The last call you want to get while you’re digging your toes in the sand is that your home is having an emergency. Here are a few areas of your home to double-check before heading out for some R&R:

  1. Make sure your home’s pipes are working properly. Who wants to come home to flooding, especially after you’ve gotten all nice and relaxed? Do yourself a favor and ensure that all the pipes in your home are running and holding how they should. If you see a leak or suspect one, give us a call. We’ll do everything we can to get out to you ASAP so your travel plans can stay intact.   
  2. Unclog everything. Showers, sinks, garbage disposals: all of these areas of your home should not be holding onto guests while you’re gone (or ever!). Clear any blockages you can in your home’s sinks and showers. Any backups left to fester while you’re gone will welcome you back with a lovely odor and potentially costly service fees.  
  3. Turn down your water heater. If you and the family will be MIA for a few days, give your water heater a break. Not only will it help extend the life of your water heater, you might also see a smaller utility bill. This is also the perfect time to flush your water heater! (You should be doing this at least a couple of times a year.) If you notice something that just doesn’t seem right with water heater, do yourself a favor and have one of our technicians out to your house. Do you really want to come home to a malfunctioning unit? Cold showers are NOT fun, even in the summer!
  4. Turn off your water main. Plumbing problems can be catostrophic if there is no one around to deal with them.Depending on how long you’ll be gone, it may make sense to shut off your water completely. If you’re not sure where it is, look for your water meter; the main shutoff will be located nearby.

The best vacation is the one where you can totally tune out and enjoy your downtime. Give yourself the break you deserve and check “worrying about the house” off your pre-getaway list. If you’d really like to get some peace of mind, give us a call to schedule a maintenance visit. We will work hard to keep your home behaving when you head out!