The number one concern a lot of people have when considering leaving on an extended vacation is problems that may arise with having their home vacant. When we decided to hit the road this winter we were faced with the same dilemma. ‘Where to even begin’ and ‘what to do next’ filled out thoughts for weeks. Our biggest concerns were: frozen pipes and flooding, fire, and theft or vandalism.
Living in Michigan, we’re faced with extremely cold winter temperatures. Properly winterizing our house was on the top of our priority list. This was something we had never done before, and we hadn’t the first clue what needed to be done other than knowing that we needed to drain the pipes. Searching online for tips and pointers on how to do this came in extremely handy, especially in regard to our dishwasher and washing machine, two appliances that hadn’t even crossed our minds initially.
The first thing we did was to shut off the power on the breaker to our electric water heater. Next, we shut off the breaker that provides power to the pump for our primary water supply. Every faucet was opened to make sure all the water was out of the lines, and every toilet was flushed to drain the water from its tank. For each appliance that works with water, including our hot water heater, pressure tank, and geothermal system, all supply and discharge lines were disconnected from the water supply and drained.
We then took a wet/dry vacuum to remove all the water from the toilet bowls and tanks, and then forced compressed air through the main water supply line. Because our sinks have traps on them, as a final precautionary measure we poured a small amount of non-toxic, RV antifreeze down every drain, including the bathtubs and the toilet bowls via the tanks.
We sorely underestimated the time required for this entire project. Our house uses a geothermal system that requires water for heating, so we had to either schedule these tasks for our day of departure or stay in a freezing cold house with no running water. The latter wasn’t an enjoyable option, so we chose to get all of this done and leave that evening to stay at a friend’s house. If we had to do it again, we would be much better prepared ahead of time, but our entire vacation was rather a ‘fly by the seat of our pants’ adventure, and this was just another “live and learn” experience.
If winterizing your plumbing sounds like a daunting task, save yourself some hassle and call a plumber. A knowledgeable plumber or general handy man should be able to have this job done relatively quickly, freeing you up for last minute packing and other tasks.
If you live in a flood zone, make sure you are protected against such emergencies. We had a sump pump installed in our basement when we built this house, so we knew that having shut off the main water supply, the only risk of flooding would be water from outside coming in. Since we’re well above the water line here and don’t live in a flood zone, leaving the electrical circuit on to our sump pump made us confident that the risk of damage from water was almost nonexistent. The only scenario in which our basement would flood was if the house lost power completely, causing the sump pump not to run at the same time flooding water happened to come in from outside. The odds of that happening were so slim it was hardly worth dwelling on, but we did a quick check of the basement to ensure no cherished items were stored on the floor. Visions of broken pipes and a flooded house is a stress you don’t need while on vacation.
Inventorying household items room by room for insurance coverage is something we highly recommend for everyone, regardless of whether you are leaving your house vacant. Having suffered the loss of a house fire in the past, we knew we needed to protect our assets better should a problem ever arise again. We used our digital camera to photograph and video tape the major contents of each room and made sure we each had a copy on our netbooks, as well as a copy on dvd that was left with family. Because we were cutting power to everything in our house except for the sump pump, fire from wiring within wasn’t a big concern of ours, and we knew fire caused by natural disaster couldn’t be prevented whether we were home or out having an adventure.
While on vacation, we updated our whereabouts throughout our trip on various social media networks. Hundreds of people knew we were away from home and weren’t returning for months. Unless you have neighbors or family keeping an eye on your place, or have an alarm system, be careful doing this.
Our contact information and the phone number of a local family member was left with two neighbors who assured us they would call immediately if they saw any traffic or anything out of the ordinary at our house. Being winter with snow on the ground made us confidant that anyone driving or walking down our driveway would leave tracks that would be easily spotted.
When we returned home a few weeks ago, restoring power and water to the house went smoothly and quickly. A mouse had taken up residence here in our absence, causing us a bit of hassle right off the bat. Disinfecting all counters, the refrigerator, desks, and cleaning the entire pantry and a few of the kitchen drawers had to be done immediately before unpacking. Having known that we were leaving for months, we left very little in the house in regard to food items. The mouse had gotten into a bird seed cake in the pantry and scattered seed shells throughout. This rodent found it necessary to run around inside the fridge and freezer that had been emptied, scrubbed, and left open with a few sheets of newspaper inside to eliminate odors. Thankfully nothing else was chewed and destroyed, and when faced with leaving again, mousetraps will definitely be set prior to walking out the door.
If you have questions regarding coverage on your house and contents, please call your insurance agent. Discuss options on your policy in regard to flood, fire, and theft. Know that riders may be required for computer equipment, antiques and collectibles, and jewelry over a certain value. If you rent, by all means look into your renter’s policy to ensure your belongings are covered, and be aware that your landlord’s insurance policy only covers the dwelling, not your contents. Ensuring your home stays safe while you’re gone can seem overwhelming, but with the help and advice from others you can head out and enjoy your vacation without worrying that your assets are protected.
Living in Michigan, we’re faced with extremely cold winter temperatures. Properly winterizing our house was on the top of our priority list. This was something we had never done before, and we hadn’t the first clue what needed to be done other than knowing that we needed to drain the pipes. Searching online for tips and pointers on how to do this came in extremely handy, especially in regard to our dishwasher and washing machine, two appliances that hadn’t even crossed our minds initially.
The first thing we did was to shut off the power on the breaker to our electric water heater. Next, we shut off the breaker that provides power to the pump for our primary water supply. Every faucet was opened to make sure all the water was out of the lines, and every toilet was flushed to drain the water from its tank. For each appliance that works with water, including our hot water heater, pressure tank, and geothermal system, all supply and discharge lines were disconnected from the water supply and drained.
We then took a wet/dry vacuum to remove all the water from the toilet bowls and tanks, and then forced compressed air through the main water supply line. Because our sinks have traps on them, as a final precautionary measure we poured a small amount of non-toxic, RV antifreeze down every drain, including the bathtubs and the toilet bowls via the tanks.
We sorely underestimated the time required for this entire project. Our house uses a geothermal system that requires water for heating, so we had to either schedule these tasks for our day of departure or stay in a freezing cold house with no running water. The latter wasn’t an enjoyable option, so we chose to get all of this done and leave that evening to stay at a friend’s house. If we had to do it again, we would be much better prepared ahead of time, but our entire vacation was rather a ‘fly by the seat of our pants’ adventure, and this was just another “live and learn” experience.
If winterizing your plumbing sounds like a daunting task, save yourself some hassle and call a plumber. A knowledgeable plumber or general handy man should be able to have this job done relatively quickly, freeing you up for last minute packing and other tasks.
If you live in a flood zone, make sure you are protected against such emergencies. We had a sump pump installed in our basement when we built this house, so we knew that having shut off the main water supply, the only risk of flooding would be water from outside coming in. Since we’re well above the water line here and don’t live in a flood zone, leaving the electrical circuit on to our sump pump made us confident that the risk of damage from water was almost nonexistent. The only scenario in which our basement would flood was if the house lost power completely, causing the sump pump not to run at the same time flooding water happened to come in from outside. The odds of that happening were so slim it was hardly worth dwelling on, but we did a quick check of the basement to ensure no cherished items were stored on the floor. Visions of broken pipes and a flooded house is a stress you don’t need while on vacation.
Inventorying household items room by room for insurance coverage is something we highly recommend for everyone, regardless of whether you are leaving your house vacant. Having suffered the loss of a house fire in the past, we knew we needed to protect our assets better should a problem ever arise again. We used our digital camera to photograph and video tape the major contents of each room and made sure we each had a copy on our netbooks, as well as a copy on dvd that was left with family. Because we were cutting power to everything in our house except for the sump pump, fire from wiring within wasn’t a big concern of ours, and we knew fire caused by natural disaster couldn’t be prevented whether we were home or out having an adventure.
While on vacation, we updated our whereabouts throughout our trip on various social media networks. Hundreds of people knew we were away from home and weren’t returning for months. Unless you have neighbors or family keeping an eye on your place, or have an alarm system, be careful doing this.
Our contact information and the phone number of a local family member was left with two neighbors who assured us they would call immediately if they saw any traffic or anything out of the ordinary at our house. Being winter with snow on the ground made us confidant that anyone driving or walking down our driveway would leave tracks that would be easily spotted.
When we returned home a few weeks ago, restoring power and water to the house went smoothly and quickly. A mouse had taken up residence here in our absence, causing us a bit of hassle right off the bat. Disinfecting all counters, the refrigerator, desks, and cleaning the entire pantry and a few of the kitchen drawers had to be done immediately before unpacking. Having known that we were leaving for months, we left very little in the house in regard to food items. The mouse had gotten into a bird seed cake in the pantry and scattered seed shells throughout. This rodent found it necessary to run around inside the fridge and freezer that had been emptied, scrubbed, and left open with a few sheets of newspaper inside to eliminate odors. Thankfully nothing else was chewed and destroyed, and when faced with leaving again, mousetraps will definitely be set prior to walking out the door.
If you have questions regarding coverage on your house and contents, please call your insurance agent. Discuss options on your policy in regard to flood, fire, and theft. Know that riders may be required for computer equipment, antiques and collectibles, and jewelry over a certain value. If you rent, by all means look into your renter’s policy to ensure your belongings are covered, and be aware that your landlord’s insurance policy only covers the dwelling, not your contents. Ensuring your home stays safe while you’re gone can seem overwhelming, but with the help and advice from others you can head out and enjoy your vacation without worrying that your assets are protected.
While renting a home for your vacation does require some research, the benefits in the end are a beautiful place to stay for you and your family in a desired location. Be sure that you have an emergency contact from the rental agency that is available in the area that you are traveling to and for the duration of your trip in case there was any issue with the home.
http://www.floridabeachcottages.com/
Posted by: Rakesh Smo | 11/14/2010 at 07:26 AM