Its a busy time of year, with many people hitting the road and heading out of town for the Holidays. Its important to make sure you have peace of mind before heading out of town for the Holidays. A lot could happen while you are away, but by taking the proper precautions on your home maintenance, many problems can be avoided. Here’s you home maintenance checklist bore you head out of town for the Holidays.
#1 Clean Gutters
Are you expecting any storms while you are away? Make sure your gutters are cleaned before you heading out of town for the Holidays. Over time leaves and debris can build up in your gutters
which can obstruct the flow of water during heavy rain fall. This can cause damage to your roof, siding, foundation, and cause leaks and ice dams. Your gutters and downspouts job is to divert water away from your foundation, you can better safeguard your foundation by installing extensions on your downspouts.
#2 Heating System
When heading out of town for the Holidays you should always inspect your heating system. Part of your annual home maintenance checklist should include an inspection of your heating system. If you are going out of town you will want to make sure that there aren’t any leaks and that everything is in proper working order. When you are out of town it is a good idea to turn down the thermostat to conserve energy, although we do not recommend turning your heater off completely. Keeping warm air circulating can help prevent frozen pipes, so turn it down, but not off.
#3 Pipe Insulation
Having insulation installed on your pipes is a must if you live in areas that are prone to freezing, especially if you plan on going out of town for any length of time. Insulation can help prevent frozen pipes, which is a common plumbing problem during winter. When water freezes, it expands, which can cause pipes to burst leading to thousand of dollars in damage. To prevent frozen pipes while heading out of town for the Holidays, install insulation and consider shutting off the water supply.
#4 Sump Pump
If you have a basement you will want to check your sump pump before heading out of town for the Holidays. If heavy rains are expected and your sump pump fails, you could end up returning home to a flooded basement. Pour a bucket of water in your sump pump to make sure it is working before you head out of town for the Holidays.
#5 Check for Drafts
Part of your home maintenance checklist before heading out of town for the Holidays should also include checking for drafts. Cold drafts will make your heating system work harder and therefore utilize more energy to maintain the temperature in your home, and cold draft can also aid to the freezing of water in pipes. Check along the foundation, crawl spaces, attics, windows, and doors to make sure no cold air can penetrate your home. Consider installing a gasket around doors and windows, and caulk any cracks and leaks.
The Holidays are supposed to be fun, not full of worry about weather your home is safe while you head out of town for the Holidays. Contact Lesco Plumbing and Heating to inspect you homes plumbing and heating system before you head out of town for the Holidays.
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