Travelling this holiday season?

If you are planning on travelling over the holiday season, your focus may be on what to pack and getting ready for the trip itself. There are a few things that you should do to prepare your home in your absence so that you’re not wasting money and to protect it from potential damage.

Turn the thermostat down- to the right level

Although conventional wisdom may suggest that turning down your thermostat if you are going to be away if you are trying to save money, turning it down too far can result in causing serious damage to your home.

If you let your home get too cold, there is a risk of your pipes freezing and then bursting. Don’t let your home get cooler than about 12-14°.

Take hoses off the faucets

Again, in order to prevent frozen pipes, make sure that you haven’t left hoses attached to exterior faucets. Water pooling in there can actually freeze and cause damage inside your home. Drain water from the outdoor faucets and put hoses away for the season.

You can turn the water heater off to save money

You won’t need any hot showers while you are on the road, so it is OK to turn off (or at least turn down) your hot water heater.

Unplug appliances

You’d be surprised at how much energy is used simply by keeping your appliances plugged in. When you are home, it might be a question of convenience. If you are going to be away, you don’t need them, so unplug them.

Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before you go. Seconds count in the event of a fire in terms of containing damage. You don’t want to risk not having the alarms working correctly.

Use a timer for lights

Setting your lights on a timer will not only help cut your energy costs, it can also be a deterrent for thieves, as there is the appearance that someone is actually home.