Preparing Your Home’s Electrical System Before You Leave For Vacation
Use this checklist to help you prepare your home’s electrical system for your vacation.
It’s vacation season! Wait, it’s October! Yes, in fact, more people actually travel during the colder holiday months than for summer vacation. In our neck of the woods we enjoy long fall breaks from school, and lovely holiday breaks that allow families to travel away from home more often. Of course any trip, no matter when it is, comes with planning and preparation. One thing you might overlook is your home’s electrical system. It’s important to do some planning and preparation to make sure that everything is safe and sound for your return home, especially if you’re leaving during holiday lights season!
Here’s a quick checklist to help you prepare your home’s electrical system before you set out on vacation.
1. Unplug Your Electronics
Before you set out, unplug all of your electronics including toasters, toaster ovens, slow cookers, TVs, microwaves, multimedia devices, lamps, etc. Leaving these electronics plugged in will not only consume unnecessary energy, but they will also leave your home at a higher risk of an electrical fire. Leaving light bulbs on can be especially risky because they are at risk of overheating. Pay special attention if you’re leaving your (indoor and outdoor) lights on timers. While this can help keep your property safe from burglars, it does put you at higher risk of a fire. Make sure you have someone that can keep an eye on your home while you’re gone to make sure everything is functioning correctly.
2. Adjust the Settings on Your Hot Water Heater
Did you know that newer hot water heaters have a vacation setting? This setting enables your hot water heater to run less frequently to conserve energy while you’re away. Make sure to enable this setting before you leave. If you have an older hot water heater without a fancy vacation setting, you can adjust the temperature to the lowest possible (or at least a lower) setting to help you conserve energy. (Write a sticky note and put it on your fridge to turn it back up when you get home or your first shower back may be a little disappointing!)
3. Adjust Your Thermostat So It Consumes Less Energy
You can also adjust your thermostat so that it consumes less energy while you’re gone. To do this during the winter, decrease the temperature of your thermostat a few degrees less than your normal or in warmer months increase the temperature of your thermostat a few degrees higher than your norm so your air conditioner doesn’t run as often. Do not turn your thermostat off entirely. Keeping your thermostat running will ensure that humidity does not build up in your home and lead to mold growth. It will also help ensure that your pipes don’t freeze during the years we have a wilder than normal winter.
4. Have Your Electrical System Inspected
Has it been a year (or more!) since you had your electrical system checked out? It’s time to start thinking about a service call, particularly before it’s time to turn on the furnace and/or leave for vacation. An inspection can help ensure everything is working as designed. Schedule your inspection at least one month before you leave for your vacation so there is ample time to fix any glaring issues.
5. Install Surge Protection Devices
Oklahomans aren’t strangers to storms, that’s for sure. Having surge protection devices installed can be a great way to protect your home regardless of your vacation plans. When lightning hits your home during a storm it causes a surge of electricity to go through your home’s electrical system. When this power surge hits your electrical system it can damage your wiring, destroy your electronics, or even catch your house on fire. To protect your home’s electrical system against power surges like a lightning strike, you may want to have surge protection devices installed to absorb the excess energy and redirect it away from your home’s electrical system. Having a surge protection system installed can also give you peace of mind while you’re away from home. For more information about whole home surge protection systems read our blog post here.
It’s important to prep before leaving for vacation. We wish you safe travels and hope you found our checklist handy. Bookmark this page in your browser so you can come back to it when you need to.
