Christmas is the perfect time to make some time to visit your family and friends who you don’t often get to see. This article has some tips to help you prepare your home for the vacation. Now is a great time to take a short vacation and enjoy the Christmas period with family and friends. However, when you aren’t at home there isn’t anybody to watch out for any problems which may arise or to keep your home in order.

Prevent Problems at Your Home While You Are Away

Below is a great post from Archer Cleaning & Restoration Services with tips on how you can prepare your home before leaving to see your family this season.

Water

Just the smallest of leaks in a pipe or the dripping of a faucet which you didn’t get around to repairing before you left is all it takes to cause serious flooding problems in your home while you are away. If you were at home, of course, you would notice this occurring and put a stop to it immediately. However, without your presence, the water is allowed to continue. Unless you have a good reason for needing your water to remain on while you are away, before you leave, switch it off at the main. This way, if any leaks do occur, only the water currently in the pipes will get out, causing significantly fewer problems for your return.

Gas

When thinking about your gas, the same tip applies as above. Even a small leak in your gas pipe which occurs while you are away has the very real potential to cause a fire in your home. Unless you can think of a compelling reason why you should leave the gas supply turned on in your home while you are away, as you and your family are packing the car to leave, be sure to switch it off.

Light Timers

Not unlike ‘Home Alone’, Christmas is often a time when a burglary occurs, simply because thieves know that the majority of homeowners will be away from their properties. To lower the appeal your home has to thieves, consider using small and inexpensive light timers. Of course, you don’t have to light up your entire home while you are away. Instead, sit down and consider which street-facing lights usually come on during you and your family’s regular routine and look to replicate this schedule. If your property has sustained damage, whether it be flooding or structural, speak with a professional at Archer Cleaning & Restoration Services by calling 888-436-3499. Experts at providing restoration services in St. Croix County, trust in their expert knowledge and experience to restore your home safely and thoroughly.

Smoke Detectors

Sure, while you are away you won’t be able to hear the smoke detector in your home and react. However, your neighbors surely will and are likely to know that you aren’t at home to take action. With this in mind, take a tour of your home and check that all of your smoke detectors are in working order. If you are looking for extra peace-of-mind, consider using this time to replace the batteries in these devices.

Take out Your Trash

When you get home, the last thing that you want to experience when you walk in the door is a horrid smell caused by rotting food in your garbage. On the day you are leaving, speak with your family members and get them to check their rooms and bathrooms, along with any other regular trash collection points around your home, and empty them into the trash on their way out to the car. Doing this can prevent you from returning home to a bad smell after a great vacation.

Refrigerator

The same goes for your refrigerator. Inspect the items inside it and, if you think any of them will go bad while you are away, either use them first or consider throwing them in the trash along with the tip above. This can prevent you from returning home after a relaxing vacation with your family to find that you now need to empty your refrigerator and give it a solid clean to remove the smell.

The Best Damage Restoration Services in St. Croix County

If you are unfortunate enough to return home after the Christmas break to find that problems have occurred in your home, help is at hand. The first thing to do is to resist the urge to race inside and inspect it for yourself. Instead, wait outside and call Archer Cleaning & Restoration Services at (888) 436-3499. Once Archer Cleaning & Restoration Services arrive they can provide a safe and thorough inspection and advise the best course of action to bring your property back to its former state and repair any damage.