Whether you are heading to Florida to escape the winter snow or travelling up north for a weekend ski getaway, accidents happen and cold weather presents a greater opportunity for damage. In an home, frozen plastic and copper pipes can burst and massive amounts of snow or heavy rain can crack glass and cause increasingly serious damages if left unattended.
If you plan on vacating your home for a few days, make sure to:
- Close and lock all doors, windows, skylights and vents to keep out wind and wind-driven rain
- In colder climates, do not turn the thermostat off, instead leave it set to at least 55 degrees
If you are leaving for an extended period of time, the best protection for your home is to shut off the water and drain the water lines, as well as:
- Shut off the gas to the water heater (the gas company can assist you with this), or turn the temperature control to a vacation setting
- If your house uses a water softener, shut off its supply line
If you elect to keep the water service on, please take the following precautions:
- Insulate pipes in your home's crawl spaces and attic, especially in garages and basements next to outside walls
- Wrap heating tape of cables around water pipes to prevent pipes from freezing
- Turn off the water supply to individual fixtures like your washing machine, icemaker, toilets and sinks
- Consider installing an electronic leak detection system
- Do not leave appliances running when you leave
- Make sure the sump pump is working, especially during late winter and early spring when melting snow or heavy rain increases the risk of basement flooding
So as you pack your bags, make sure to create a checklist before you leave your home unattended so that you can fully enjoy your time away without the worry of damage or destruction.
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