This summer has been a little more hectic than most for Arizona residents. With autumn just around the corner, now is the perfect time for families to take a mini-vacation before school starts back up! We’ve compiled this quick vacation checklist, so you can rest and relax knowing your home is taken care of while you’re away.
✓ Clean Your Home
Nothing ruins your post-vacation glow like arriving home to a dirty or unkempt house. Trust us! Save yourself the hassle by cleaning your home before you leave, between packing and checking things off your to-do list.
- Take out the trash
- Vacuum the carpet or sweep the floors
- Wash and dry dishes
- Clean out the refrigerator
- Put away any laundry that’s not coming with you
Not only will this make your return more enjoyable, but it will also ensure your home doesn’t get infested by flies, mold, or other unwanted guests in your absence.
✓ Adjust Your Air Conditioner
Prep your air conditioner with our air filter and air duct cleaning services, available from Phoenix to Scottsdale, and everywhere in between.
✓ Turn Off the Water
Unless you’re leaving pets and plants behind, and someone is constantly coming in to check on them, your home doesn’t need running water. In fact, leaving the water on while you’re gone could force a hidden leak to burst and result in some serious water damage that nobody will be around to clean up. It may sound unlikely, but it’s happened before! Give yourself peace of mind by turning off the water at the main shut-off valve.
✓ Set Your Water Heater on Vacation Mode
If you’re on vacation mode, your water heater should be too. No, seriously! Water heaters have a built-in “vacation mode” designed to save energy while you’re away. This setting basically enables your water heater to do the bare minimum, which means running just enough to keep pipes from freezing (not that you’ll have to worry about this during the summer). We recommend calling a professional plumber to walk you through the process, so you know for sure you did it correctly.
✓ Unplug Appliances
You’ve probably already heard this before, but appliances that are plugged in use up energy even if they’re turned off. Make sure you walk through the house and unplug any electrical appliances before you leave. Not only do you get to save money on utility bills, but you also reduce the risk of an electrical fire. It’s a win-win!
✓ Set Lights on a Timer
A super easy and effective way to keep burglars away from your home is to make them think you never left by setting your lights on a timer. You should think about investing in smart lights that you can control remotely or even motion-activated lights for your doors.
If your air conditioner is broken when you return from vacation, our emergency air conditioning services are available for all residents of Scottsdale and the surrounding areas. All you have to do is give us a call!
