Protect Your Home While Away on Summer Vacation

Protect Your Home While Away on Summer Vacation

It’s the time of year that families begin their summer vacations. Every detail of the trip is scheduled, but homeowners may forget to plan the most important thing – preparing their home to be unoccupied. Green’s Plumbing wants to help homeowners prepare so they can have a carefree summer vacation and homecoming.

“This is a traditional time of the year for families to pack up and leave their homes empty for a week or more,” said Ed Green, owner of Green’s Plumbing. “We want to do our part in preparing homeowners so they can enjoy this particular time and not return home to a disaster.”

77

Unoccupied homes are at a greater risk for water damage and theft, fortunately there are a few easy things that a homeowner can do to protect their homes while they’re away. Here are some suggestions that are important to consider when the home will be empty for at least a week:

Change water heater settings

The water heater continues to warm the water inside the heater to the temperature it is set. There is no need to keep that water as warm when no one is home to use it. When going out of town for a week or more, set the dial to vacation mode. If the water heater does not have a vacation mode setting, set the temperature lower than normal. This will help save energy.

Clean your garbage disposal

To prevent any unpleasant odors when returning home from vacation, flush out the garbage disposal with ½ cup distilled white vinegar and hot water while letting it run.

Turn off the water main valve

Water damage is the No. 1 cause of problems that occur while a homeowner is out of town. Just a small leak left unattended for a few days can cause thousands of dollars in water damage to a home. To prevent water leaks from occurring while the house is vacant, turn the main water valve off that leads into the home.

Do a faucet check

Check all the faucets in the home to make sure none are dripping. Drips over a week or more can add additional dollars to your water bill.

Set one lamp on a timer

Burglars prey on easy targets and look for homes that appear empty. It is best to set a lamp on a timer to make it appear that someone is in the home at all times.

For residents who would like help and suggestions for preparing their homes for vacation, the professionals at Green’s Plumbing are ready to assist. For more information visit www.greensplumbingco.com or call us at 818/880-8847.

About Green’s Plumbing. Green’s Plumbing is a family owned and operated business serving the San Fernando Valley for over 25 years. Founded in 1991, our company offers a 100% guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing needs. Services offered include water and gas pipe leak repair and installation, fixture installations, Free annual inspections, water heater installation, complete bathroom, kitchen, laundry & utility room remodeling and more.