Prepare Your Home Before Holiday Travels
If you’re planning a holiday vacation, it’s important to make sure you prepare your home before you leave.
Insurers offer the following tips to protect your home fro
m theft and damage while you are away:
- Make your house look lived in.
- Stop your newspaper and mail or ask a neighbor to pick it up for you.
- Put at least one light on a timer.
- Unplug small appliances and electrical devices.
- Put the water heater in vacation mode.
- Turn off water valves to the dishwasher, washing machine and all sinks.
- Set the thermostat to a temperature that is less than comfortable, but still protects plants, pets and furniture.
- Arrange for the care of your pets.
- Discard perishable foods in the refrigerator.
- Ask a neighbor to set out your trash on collection day and then retrieve empty cans and recycling bins the same day.
- Lock windows and doors.
- Store jewelry and valuable items in a safe-deposit box.
- Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your home and provide your contact information so you can be reached in an emergency.
It’s also important to prepare your lawn before you leave.
- Lawns should be mowed high this time of year. Resist the temptation to mow short.
- Leave your irrigation system on automatic. Lawns should be watered once a week.
- If you live in an area that is subject to freezing temperatures, make sure you have a newer model rain sensor that will automatically shut off when the temperature drops to freezing.
To ensure that your irrigation system is working properly, contact Massey Services for a free inspection. Massey’s Irrigation Maintenance Program, along with our Free Water Management Audit, takes the guesswork out of maintaining your irrigation system.