Winter is the ideal time to head to a warmer climate for a relaxing vacation. When you’re planning and packing for your trip, don’t forget to take precautions to protect your home. Following these vacation maintenance tips can help you enjoy your getaway with fewer worries about what might go wrong at home.
Shut the Main Water Valve
By doing so, you can prevent a house-wide flood if a pipe bursts. To minimize the risk of ruptured pipes, close the shut off valves and drain any water lines that are particularly vulnerable to freezing.
Give Your Water Heater a Rest
To save energy while you’re away, switch the setting on your gas-fired water heater to “off” or “pilot.” On an electric model, shut off the circuit breaker in your electrical panel. To reduce the risk of a flooded basement or utility room, you can also shut off the water intake valve and drain the tank.
Schedule a Heating System Inspection
If you’ve neglected professional preventive maintenance this fall, schedule it now before your vacation departure date, and take care of any recommended repairs right away. Once the furnace is tuned up, you’ll have peace of mind that it’s working reliably so it’s less likely to fail unexpected while you’re gone.
Dial Down the Thermostat Setting
If you have a manual model, lower the temperature setting to 50 degrees. With a programmable thermostat, use the “vacation” mode and program it to go back to your usual temperature setting on your return date so the house is warm and cozy when you arrive home.
Check Your Air Registers
Make sure all of your registers are fully open and unobstructed by furniture, drapes, clutter and any other items. For proper air circulation, be sure to leave all the bedroom and other doors open while you’re gone.
Replace the Furnace Filter
Putting in a fresh air filter can avert airflow restrictions that might make the furnace overheat and shut down when you’re not at home to reset it.
To learn more vacation maintenance tips for your Dayton home, contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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