Vacation Preparation From SERVPRO of Spartanburg County!

5/24/2017 (Permalink)

Well it's that time of the year again, school is out and that family vacation is just around the corner. While you are checking off that list for stuff that you need to take with you such as sunscreen and sandals make sure you check off what you are leaving behind.

It's happens year after year, we receive that dreaded phone call from the neighbor. "I'm calling because my neighbors are out of town and water has been running out of their house since yesterday."

Time and time again we seem too busy planning on how much we have to do on vacation we forget to protect our house before we leave. Accidents happen all the time ranging from broken pipes and toilets causing major water damage to coffee makers and hair dryers causing fire and soot damage.

Below you will find some helpful hints to prevent that return trip from being an unplanned extreme home makeover.

Water Damage Prevention

-turn power off to hot water heater

-turn pilot light off to hot water heater (when applicable)

-use a shop vac and vacuum the HVAC drain line from the exterior side of house

-turn off main water supply to house

-after turning off water turn on outside water spigot to drain lines

Fire Damage Prevention

-check batteries in smoke detectors

-turn off gas lines (when applicable)

-unplug any unnecessary electronic devices such as coffee makes, toasters, hair dryer and phone chargers

Mold Prevention

-DO NOT raise the temperature on the thermostat to save money. By raising the temperature you also raise the humidity levels which can in turn can cause mold growth within 48 to 72 hours. Keep thermostat 77 degrees and below.