With summer underway, vacation time is not far off for many Indianapolis area homeowners. If you plan to take off for summer vacation this year, be sure to take care of these five home maintenance essentials before you go:
1. Air conditioner
You can leave your air conditioner plugged in if you’re concerned about heat damage in your home, but set your thermostat between 85 and 90 degrees. That way, the A/C will only run for a few hour on the hottest days.
2. Refrigerator
If you’re taking a short vacation, you can leave your refrigerator on. Just get rid of highly perishable items like meat and dairy products, and set the fridge on its highest temperature setting. For long absences – greater than four weeks – you can empty out the fridge and freezer completely and unplug them. Just be sure to prop the doors open so you won’t come home to find a forest of mold inside. It’s also a good idea to leave your dishwasher door open.
3. Lighting
Leave some lights on for security purposes, but there’s no need to leave them all blazing around the clock. Just choose a few lights and connect them to a timer or motion sensor so they only turn on when you need them to.
4. Swimming pool
If you have a swimming pool, you should leave the pump running – otherwise, your pool might look more like a swamp when you return home – but hook it up to a timer and set it to run only six hours a day to save energy.
5. Appliances
Many appliances and electronics draw electricity simply by being plugged in. For this reason, it’s a good idea to unplug anything that doesn’t need to be on while you’re gone. This includes computers, stereos and alarm clocks, as well as certain larger appliances like your washer, dryer and water heater. This can also prevent damage from power surges.
To learn more about home maintenance steps to keep your house safe and efficient during your summer vacation, contact Mowery Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing. We’ve been serving the Greater Indianapolis area for more than 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Mowery services the Brownsburg, Indiana and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
