We all know Western New York can get brutally cold in the winter. Hopefully some sort of tropical escape awaits you and your family. If this is the case, you’ll certainly have plenty to do before you head off on any sort of trip. Winterizing your home should definitely be added to your pre-vacation to do list.
Winterizing your home before you go away keeps your house from experiencing freezing cold temperatures. It also keeps your home protected and safe.
5 home care tasks before traveling
Here’s how you can properly prepare your home before your winter vacation so that you avoid any issues upon your return.
Set the thermostat Just because you won’t be home for a long period of time does not mean that your thermostat should be completely shut off. The best thing to do to ensure that your pipes won’t freeze while you’re gone is to actually keep the heat on and set to about 55 degrees.
Seal doors and windows Before your vacation, you’re of course going to want to double check that all of your home’s doors, windows and shutters are properly shut and locked. This helps to ensure that your home is safe and it helps keep heat in your house while you’re gone. To take this a step further, seal your windows and doors and add storm windows.
Check your fireplace Leaving the flue to your fireplace open while you’re gone increases the chances that rain, snow or even live animals will find their way into your house. Since no one wants to return from vacation to find piles of snow in his/her living room, be certain to shut your fireplace’s flue before you go away.
Unplug appliances Leaving appliances plugged in while you’re gone for a long period of time is not recommended in case there is a power outage. In the case of a power outage, certain appliances can surge and then fry. In more extreme cases, they can even start a fire. Unplugging appliances, especially “vampire” appliances that use energy from just staying plugged in, also saves you money on your electric bills.
Contact us It’s important to contact us before your vacation if you’re a customer with automatic deliveries. Whether it’s propane or heating oil, let us know when you’ll be gone so we can make any necessary changes to your delivery schedule.
Not only can Hometowne Energy help you winterize your home, but we are also here for all your heating needs if you’re in the Western New York area. Contact us today!
We all know Western New York can get brutally cold in the winter. Hopefully some sort of tropical escape awaits you and your family. If this is the case, you’ll certainly have plenty to do before you head off on any sort of trip. Winterizing your home should definitely be added to your pre-vacation to do list.