January 2011
 To endure the winter months, we generally like to use our vacation time to go to a warmer destination. The coldest months of January-March are prime time to leave and head some place south.
When taking vacations for an extended period of time, we still need to be mindful of our properties back home. In fact, due to the season, extra precautions need to be placed to ensure our properties will endure the weather. Often, a homeowner has returned home too late, only to find that an aged washing machine hose or dishwasher part has broken, flooding their home and causing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage. So before embarking on that fabulous vacation to the sunny, warm beaches of Florida or Mexico, prepare your property so you do not get any surprise disasters when you return from your travels.
Tips on preventing your pipes from freezing while on vacation:
- Ensure all windows and entry doors are closed tightly including crawl space doors if applicable.
- You must NOT turn the heat off, but turn it down to 55 degrees.
- Do not turn the hot water heater off but rather, setting your hot water heater on the lowest heat setting possible will keep it functioning at a minimum level, while saving you money on your energy bills. Some water heaters have a “vacation” setting which should be utilized.
- Open all... Click to continue...
|
