We are getting close to the last day of school for the kids and summer vacation for the whole family. This means your home will be empty. There are things you should do before leaving the house for the airport on your way to your favorite beach or European city. Remember, you don’t want to be paying for energy and water bills that you are not using while you are away. In addition to saving money, you want to prevent things like coming home to a flooded house because a water hose burst.
- Shut off water lines to washing machines to avoid flooding problems. If a washing machine water hose bursts while you are away, it can result in thousands of dollars of damage. And dependent on when it happens, in the beginning or end of your vacation, this can be a factor in how much damage is done. It can damage all of the appliances, flooring and drywall and furniture.
- In addition to the washing machine, consider turning off the water supply to your to dishwashers, ice-makers and toilets. This will help prevent unexpected problems and help with your water bill as well.
- Do not leave the dishwasher, dryer or washing machine running when leaving the house. This is especially true if no one will be home or available to check if these appliances shut off.
- Make sure all appliances are turned off, stove, oven, coffeemaker, etc. This can help with your energy bill as well as with safety of your home.
- Be sure the gas stove is turned off. It is easy to overlook and can be dangerous if left on, unattended and for a long period of time.
- Unplug all electronic items. A great tip is to plug all your electronic devices to a power strip so, with one flip of the switch, you can turn off or unplug all items at one time.
- Lower, don’t turn off a water heater. Like air conditioners, water heaters temperatures can be set for the best temperature while you are away and not utilizing hot water in your home. Do not completely shut off a water heater while away as it can cause serious complications when turned back on. Lower the temperature to save on energy and a little money.
- Make sure all doors and windows are locked. This seems like a no-brainer but it is another one of those things that can be easily overlooked.
- Make Sure Toilets Are Not Running. As we learned in one of our April blog posts, a running toilet can lead to a very high water bill. (You can check out the blog post for additional information at http://marlinservices.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/running-toilet-very-large-water-bill/.)
- Close the window treatments on your windows. Especially during the summer, you want to help control the temperature in your house as best as you can.
- Set your programmable thermostat for “vacation temperature”. Set your thermostat while you are away at one temperature which is higher than when you are home. You do not want a very cool home when no one is home to enjoy it. It will result in an unnecessarily higher energy bill.
Now it’s time to enjoy some great family vacation time!
For more information on how we can help you save BIG this summer, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040
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