Pre-Vacation Checklist

Coming back from a trip to a high electric bill is a poor welcome home, and so is wondering whether an empty house looks empty. A short checklist before you walk out the door takes care of both worries. None of these steps is hard, and most take only a few minutes.

Make it look like someone is home

Put your lights on a timer. This is one of the most cost effective tricks to make it look like you are still home, and it is a good way to save money even when you are there. Set a lamp in the living room to come on at dusk and another to go off late in the evening, so the pattern looks like a normal routine. Plug-in mechanical timers are cheap, and smart plugs let you set a schedule from your phone. Along with that, move your cars into the garage. It protects them from unwanted damage, whether from Arkansas hail or from someone with bad intentions, and a driveway with no cars is easier to read than one with a few.

Protect the house while you are gone

If you plan to be gone longer than a week, it is smart to turn off your water completely at the main shutoff valve. A supply line or washing machine hose that fails while nobody is home can run for days. For a weekend away, you do not need to worry about this step. Before any trip, take a quick look under the kitchen and bathroom sinks and around the water heater for drips, since small leaks get bigger when no one is there to catch them.

Adjust your AC. There is no need to keep the house at 65 degrees if you will not be there. Set the thermostat closer to the temperature outside so the system does not have to work as hard while you are away. In summer, many people settle in the mid 80s rather than turning the system off, since a humid house can invite mildew. In winter, keep the heat on, and do not let the house drop below 55 degrees so pipes stay safe.

The last five minutes before you leave

• Empty the trash. Even if you do not clean the whole house before a trip, taking out the trash makes coming home from paradise just a little more bearable.
• Unplug small electronics and chargers that draw power while idle, and switch off lights in every room.
• Turn the water heater down to a lower setting or vacation mode if it has one, since there is no need to keep a full tank hot while you are gone.
• Ask a neighbor or friend to pick up mail and packages so nothing piles up on the porch.
• Lock up the house. It is one of the easiest and most important steps, so make sure the doors, windows, and garage are secure, and do not leave your keys at the beach.

Fix the small things first

A pre-trip look around is also a good time to notice what is not working. An outlet that sparks or feels warm, a light that flickers, a faucet that will not shut off completely, a water heater that leaks, or an air conditioner that runs constantly are all worth having looked at before you leave rather than after you return. Little things go a long way in making sure your return goes as smoothly as possible.

If you want help finding your main water shutoff or need a plumbing, electrical, or air conditioning problem checked before you travel, call Allied Plumbing Air & Electric in Springdale on (479) 278-4508.