- Auto-timer for interior & exterior lights. A couple of weeks before departing on your trip strategically select a few lights that will give the impression that someone is occupying your home and have them operate with an auto-timer.
- Arrange with a neighbor or family member to stop by. We recommend asking someone you really trust and can count on as there are several tasks to complete. A) They need to know when to place your garbage bins on the corner for pickup, and they should return later that same day to put the bins away. B) They should agree to shovel your sidewalk and/or driveway if it snows. C) They should agree to pick up your mail. D) They should agree to take a quick walk through the house to ensure unforeseen leaks have suddenly occurred, maybe you have some plants that need watering too. A nice touch is to leave a personalized gift with a note thanking them for their support.
- Come back to a clean home. We recommend cleaning your home and conducting your preventative maintenance as usual so you don't forget about the tasks upon your return.
- Turn the thermostat down. We recommend turning it down to 60 degrees as this will be the most cost-effective temperature while still high enough to cut-in if the weather does take a turn for the worst. Make sure all interior doors are open to help circulate the air.
- Test your sump pump. Before we start let's check the power sources and the breaker. Now let's check the motor by lifting up the pump to initiate draining sequence. If the motor runs let's put it down and grab some water to fill the pit with enough water to initiate the draining process again, in order to make sure it drains. If it doesn't drain we might have a frozen outlet pipe.
- Turn off the water. Depending on your comfort level you can either shut off the main water valve or leave it on. A few other options depend on the make and model of your hot water tank, as some like to just turn off the breaker and other models have a vacation switch that some like to use too.
