Many people suffer the “winter blues” and can’t wait to head somewhere south for a taste of warm weather when the cold has become overwhelming in Hamilton. We plan a nice vacation, making sure no detail has been overlooked. Many of us make a list of things we need for our winter getaway, checking off each item prior to locking the front door and heading to the airport. We pull out of the driveway in our car, or a taxi, and take one last look over our shoulder to make sure we didn’t leave any lights on. Nope, no lights left on, so off we go without another thought of our home until on the flight home, when we can’t wait to crawl back into our own bed.
Is there anything else we could do to help protect our home before we leave? Here are some tips on preparing your home for your winter getaway.
- Turn off the main water supply valve. This can help prevent flooding while you are away. Drain some of the water in the lines to help prevent frozen pipes should the furnace fail.
- Set the water heater to “vacation” or “off”. On a gas water heater, you can set it on” vacation” or the lowest temperature setting. For an electric water heater, turn off the breakers at the Electrical box. This will save energy while you are away.
- Have your furnace inspected. A proper tune-up and inspection of your heating system may uncover an issue that could turn into a problem while you are on vacation. Better to have it repaired before you leave, then discover you have no heat when you get home.
- Turn down the thermostat. Lowering the temperature on your thermostat will save you money on energy while you are away.
- Unplug nonessential electronics. Unplug TV’s, stereos, computers etc.
- Put some lights on timer switches. This will give the appearance that someone is home. Outdoor lights on motion detectors are also recommended.
- Give a key to a trusted neighbour, family member or friend. Having someone check on your home every couple of days is also strongly recommended. Leave them a list of things to oversee, as well as contact information for your heating contractor and plumber, so they know who to contact should they discover a problem.
Langton Mechanical has been one of Hamilton’s most trusted heating and cooling contractors for over 20 years. We offer maintenance and protection plans to help keep your system running at peak performance.