Summer is here and it’s time for your annual getaway. A wise homeowner will designate or hire someone to look in or stay in the home during vacation time, to water plants, to ensure that everything is running right and to show any potential burglars that someone is keeping an eye on things.
Some homeowners ask a friend or neighbor to drop in every few days to have a look around. If you have a yard, plants and pets that need tending, you may need to hire a house sitter to either come by and care for your home or stay there while you’re away. Whatever your choice, be sure to create explicit instructions via a sitter checklist.
Creating a Sitter Checklist
Homeowners typically create a sitter checklist with instructions for any or all of these:
- Watering the yard or monitoring the irrigation system.
- Watering indoor plants.
- Feeding and walking pets.
- Opening and closing drapes, blinds or shades.
- Turning lights on and off, or making sure timed lighting is on schedule.
- Making sure the security lights, cameras and alarm are in working order and come on as programmed.
- Taking in newspapers, flyers, mail and packages.
HVAC Instructions for the Sitter
But what about the temperature in your home? If you have a smart thermostat, you can control it from wherever you are, but if not, you’ll likely set a temperature or a program, or give the sitter instructions. What should HVAC instructions say?
- Explain how to adjust the thermostat.
- Give the sitter a heads up about any possible noises or issues to be on the alert for, such as dripping sounds from the interior HVAC cabinet (a sign the condensate drain is plugged up); rattling sounds from the indoor or outdoor unit (a fan may be broken); or the unit isn’t cooling (could be many things, including a refrigerant leak).
- Give sitter instructions as to whether to contact you for an HVAC emergency, or to contact your HVAC company.
For more recommendations regarding your HVAC system and your sitter checklist, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing of Indianapolis.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
