How to prepare your home for summer vacation

Before you head out on your family summer vacation use the checklist below to minimize the chance of a disaster in your home.  Nothing worse than finding a small waterline blew and dumped water over your floor or worse if it was on a second floor.  It’s also very important to make sure your home is unappealing to possible thieves or vandals.

Vacation Checklist

  • Contact the newspaper and ask to have them stop delivering papers
  • Depending how long you are gone have the post office forward your mail
  • Empty your voice messages and don’t leave a message that you out of town
  • Don’t leave messages about your upcoming vacation in your social media space like Facebook, Instagram, Blogs, Twitter, etc or post photos for friends to see.  Wait until you return
  • Don’t use email auto responders letting people know your away
  • Notify your alarm company of travel plans, itinerary and contact information
  • Let your neighbors know you are heading out of town or notify your local neighborhood watch
  • Shut the water supply off under each toilet tank and flush toilet to empty tank to avoid any flooding
  • Shut off water lines especially to washing machines, water conditioners and ice maker to avoid a flood
  • Close all drapes or blinds
  • Secure your outdoor patio furniture or items that could take flight and break a window during a strong windstorm
  • Turn the setting on the hot water tank down or to vacation mode. Hot water tanks are the cause of many home floods
  • Install automatic timers on lights to keep the burglars away or from teenagers breaking in and vandalizing your property
  • If your away for an extended time check bill payment schedules
  • Contact your credit card companies to let them know where you are traveling to avoid any sudden cancellations of cards while on vacation. Also, make sure you have the toll free numbers for the credit card companies
  • Check your travel insurance for medical emergencies and car rental insurance. This could easily save you a bundle
  • Arrange for lawn cutting and watering while traveling, it keeps your home looking lived in
  • Stop your garage door opening remotely by engaging the manual lock or disconnect the electric motor
  • Double check doors, windows, and locks
  • Finish up any laundry
  • Check your thermostat settings
  • Don’t leave outside lights on all day
  • Leave a car in the driveway or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway
  • Make sure your plants are ready for your time away with watering
  • If gone for long period disconnect the battery to your cars, rv, boat and scooters
  • Some insurance policies want your house checked on a regular basis so have a friend or neighbor do a quick walk through twice a week
  • Unplug your electronics and computers
  • Think about having someone house sit
  • Make sure your refrigerator is all cleaned out of food that will expire
  • Turn off appliances like stove, oven, coffee machine, etc

When disaster strikes, call Stutters Restorations for immediate and professional emergency services.

We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to better serve you!

Call Toll Free 1-877-763-1540

Related Services

Infrared Moisture Detection

Water Damage Restoration

Emergency Response

Dry Air Technology

Related Posts

Respond Quickly to Water Damage, Emergency Number 1-877-763-1540

Preparing For Spring Run Off

Dry Air Technology At It’s Finest

Infrared Moisture Detection Saving Homeowners Thousands Of Dollars in Repairs