FINALLY! The moment you’ve been waiting for all year…
You’re about to leave for vacation!
Whether you have a few days or just an afternoon before you leave, make sure you check off everything on your to-do list.
Otherwise, you could return to madness when you open your home’s front door.
Are All of Your Systems in Check?
- Plumbing – Coming home to a leak is the last thing you want to deal with after a vacation. That’s why you should consider shutting off the water supply if you’re going to be gone for more than just a day or two. You can either shut off the individual water valves to each appliance and fixture OR you can shut off the main water supply to the entire home. Failing to do this could result in a plumbing nightmare that won’t just cause water damage, but one that also attracts pests!
- HVAC – Do not shut your cooling system off for the entirety of your vacation. The house can heat up to unsafe temperatures, as well as becoming overly humid. What loves humidity and moisture? You guessed it — most household pests! Instead, set your thermostat to somewhere in the mid to high 70s.
- Electrical – Take a few moments to unplug most of your home’s electronics and smaller appliances. A power surge or a device that overheats can start an electrical fire that will not end well for your home… (Also, consider using timers for your lights. You want to make your home looked as lived-in as possible to ward of potential burglars!) Insects, bugs, and rodents aren’t the only pests out there…
Don’t Forget About the Small Things
Now that all of the big checklist items are taken care of, make sure you don’t forget about the small things…
- Clean Out Your Refrigerator – If you’re going to be gone for a few days, chances are you’ll have a decent amount of food in the fridge that will expire. Either throw this food out or eat it before you leave, because when you get back — you’ll have to do this anyways (except it will smell far worse…).
- Take Out the Trash – The last thing you want is for yesterday’s chicken scraps to spoil. You’ll more than likely come home to either ants, cockroaches, rodents, flies, or all of the above in your kitchen. Take the garbage bag to the bin outside and roll it curbside.
- Clean your Appliances – Has your washing machine or dishwasher been smelling kind of funky lately? If so, it might be best to clean them now before you raise your thermostat and leave them sitting in a warmer home. Rather than scrubbing away (we know you’re in a rush), throw a cup of white vinegar in each of them and run a cycle. Sterilization complete!
- Tend to the Lawn – If you’re going to be gone for a week or longer, make sure you cut your lawn and trim down vegetation before you leave. If your property is due for some maintenance now and you decide to leave it for when you get back, you may come back to a yard filled with pests! Ticks, fleas, crickets, wasps, you name it!
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We hope you enjoy your vacation! Remember to check your hotel for bed bugs!
If your home seems to have developed a pest infestation while you were gone, be sure to give us a call ASAP so we can address the problem while it’s small!
