Prepare Your Home for Vacation

The summer vacation season is well underway in the South Atlantic. You may even have an upcoming travel plan. Packing, doing laundry and making sure your home is secure before you leave is a large undertaking. ServiceMaster Restoration Services compiled the following checklist to help your pre-trip process run smoothly.

Clean Your Home

A few cleaning steps can ensure that you arrive home to a calm and organized environment after a hectic travel process. It can also help you avoid attracting critters and the damage that comes with them.

Throw away perishable food and take out the trash.
Wipe down surfaces, especially ones with crumbs or other food residues.
Sweep floors and vacuum carpets.
Put away dishes and run the disposal.

Pet Preparation

I’m sure you have a go-to pet sitter or boarder. Here are a few tasks to cross off your list to ensure a smooth stay for your four-legged friends.

If you have a pet sitter, place all of your pet’s supplies in one area. A bonus to using a pet sitter is that your home seems active while you’re away.
Create an instruction sheet for the pet sitter or boarder.
Communicate an emergency plan with your pet caregiver. In the case of a medical emergency or accident, tell them what steps to take.

Utilities

You won’t be using electricity or gas in your home. Use these tips to save a bit of money and energy while you’re away.

Turn your water heater on vacation mode or turn down the heat.
Unplug appliances like your toaster and coffee maker. Even small appliances use electricity when not in use.

Detectors and Security System

These steps might give you some extra peace of mind while you’re traveling.

If possible, use smoke and CO2 detectors that send updates directly to your phone.
Test your detectors before you leave and replace batteries.
Tell your security system company that you’ll be away.

Make Your Home Look Occupied

One of the best ways to deters vandals or thieves is to make it seem like you never left.

Pause newspaper and any subscription services you may have.
Make sure your yard looks maintained over the course of your vacation.
Park cars in your garage or driveway.
Set interior and exterior lights on a timer so your home looks active while you’re away.
If you have a trustworthy neighbor, ask them to water plants and take in your mail.

Other Maintenance

The following maintenance tips can help you avoid water or fire damage.

Walk the exterior of your home to look for any damage that can cause leaks.
Make sure your exterior windows and doors can shut securely.
Avoid blasting your ac or heat. Set your thermostat to an in-between temperature that protects your home but doesn’t skyrocket your utility bill.

ServiceMaster Restoration Services is your local fire and water damage restoration expert across the South Atlantic. We hope these tips help you enjoy a stress-free vacation. If you do experience fire damage, contact us at (762) 226-2114. Our team also offers construction and janitorial services. The quicker you call, the more damage we can prevent.

Photo by: istockphoto.com/seb_ra