10 Easy Ways to Fix Up Your House Before Vacation

When going on a long trip, you want to make sure that your home is as ready as possible for your absence. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to fix up your house before you leave on vacation. To help make the process as easy as possible, here are the 10 things that you should consider doing before heading out.

1. Security

Firstly, you want to make sure that your home is as secure as possible while you’re away on vacation. Vacant houses can be like a beacon to thieves, especially if they notice the lights are off and no one has been around for a while. To help make your home less of a target, here are some steps to consider.

• Make sure all doors and windows have secure and functioning locks. If you have broken locks, repair them before leaving home. Don’t leave any keys under the mat either, as you’re basically giving burglars an easy in.
• Consider installing motion-sensitive outdoor lights. Lights like this can help deter thieves from getting too close to your home. This, coupled with a doorbell camera, can help protect your entryways.
• If you don’t have a security system, consider having one installed, especially if you’re going to be away for a long period of time. This can help ensure that, should anyone breach an entry point, such as a door or window, an alarm will sound and the police will be notified.
• Smart lighting is another good option. With a smart outlet, you can turn lights on in your home at night, or set them to automatically go on and off at a certain time. This can make it seem like someone is home even when you’re miles away.

Along with these steps, you should also make sure that any backyard fencing is secure, and that there is no easy way for anyone to sneak in. Fence supplies can be easily found in hardware stores and they can allow you to secure any gaps. This is one of the easy ways to fix up your house before you leave on vacation that can have a huge impact on your home’s safety.

2. Prep Your Landscaping

Depending on how long you’ll be gone, it’s a good idea to prepare your lawn and your landscaping when you’re considering easy ways to fix up your house before vacation. Spray for weeds ahead of time to ensure that you won’t come home to a field of thistles or dandelions. If you’re going to be gone for a long period of time, you may want to hire someone to manage your lawn while you’re gone so that it doesn’t get overgrown. Having someone mow your lawn and tend your plants can also make your home a less likely target for would-be thieves.

You should also take care of any plants that you might want to keep around and have someone water both your indoor and outdoor plants while you’re gone. You can also invest in aqua globes to help your plants stay hydrated for longer.

If you live in a stormy area, you’ll also want to make sure that outdoor plants are secured so that they don’t blow over if they are in pots. Potted plants should typically be brought in, but if they can, make sure they’re in a safe location outdoors.

3. Check Your Air Conditioners

Unless you have someone staying in your home, or a pet that someone is coming to take care of, one of the easy ways to fix up your house you’ll want to make sure to use is to prepare your air conditioners for your absence to save energy. Make sure that they are set to only maintain a minimum temperature to either keep the house relatively cool. You don’t want to set them too high and have them running when no one is there.

However, if you do have pets in your home, you may want to consider investing in a smart thermostat so that you can see the temperature in the home at any time and control it from your smartphone. Although the person coming by to care for them can always adjust the temp, by having access yourself you can be more aware, especially during summer heatwaves.

It’s recommended that even in a vacant house, you don’t turn the air completely off, as this can allow mold and mildew to more easily accumulate in hot, humid climates. The last thing you’ll want to do is worry about needing mold testing when you get back from your trip.

4. Turn Off Your Water

Another easy way to fix up your house before vacation is to turn off your water before you go. If no one is going to be using your home while you are away, this is one of the best ways to prevent leaks that could potentially be catastrophic if you’re not home to deal with them. You may also want to have professional plumbing services come and check your pipes before you leave if you can’t turn your water off. This can ensure that your pipes are in good condition and that you won’t be risking a leak by leaving your water on.

If you’re going to be gone during the winter months, it’s a good idea to instead leave your taps on to drip, preferably with someone to check on your home every now and then. This can help prevent your pipes from freezing and causing a huge mess to come home to.

5. Water Heater Repair

If your water heater is on the fritz, you’ll want to have it looked at and get a water heater repair before you leave on vacation. You may also consider turning it off, if possible, or setting it to the lowest heat level. This can prevent it from using too much energy while you’re away. However, make a reminder to set it back to your desired temp before going to take a shower, or else you’ll be in for a cold surprise.

6. Empty Out Your Fridge

No one wants to experience the horror of coming back from a long trip only to find that their refrigerator went out while they were away and now it’s filled with rotting food. You should also make sure that any perishables aren’t left out on your countertops, such as fruits, vegetables, or bread.

If you can’t completely empty your fridge, make sure that the most perishable things are taken out. You can either give them to a neighbor or a friend if you don’t want to toss them. Once you have all of this removed, add a few jugs of cold water to your fridge. This will help maintain the temperature inside.

If you want to know whether or not your refrigerator has gone out while you are gone, try placing a bowl full of ice cubes in the freezer. If you come back and they’re not melted and refrozen, then you’re good to go.

7. Check Your Roof

When considering easy ways to fix up your house before a vacation, you should add having your roof checked to your to-do list. This is because roof damage can be hard to see and if you’re gone for a long period of time, a damaged area could end up leaking and wreaking havoc on your home. Shingle roofing that is missing shingles should be repaired before you leave to ensure that it is as water-tight as possible.

Roofing contractors often offer inspections at a low cost and it is something that you should definitely keep in mind if you’re going to be away from home for a while. If water doesn’t get into any weak spots, you never know what kind of animals might, and that is definitely not something you want to come home to.

8. Prep Your Pool

If you have a pool, you don’t want to leave it as-is when you’re away, which is why it’s one of the most important easy ways to fix up your house before you leave. If you don’t want to drain it, make sure the water is at an adequate level, and test it to make sure it is properly balanced. You’ll want to make sure that the pump and the filter are working when you’re away, and if they are having any problems, you’ll want to have a swimming pool repair service check them out before you leave.

If possible, have a friend come by every now and then to check the pool and make sure that it’s still in good condition. Always keep a cover over it, preferably one that nothing can fall into. A hardcover is best to keep animals and other pests out when you’re not using it.

If you are planning a vacation that lasts over a month, you’ll probably want to close your pool altogether. This will make sure that it won’t be damaged, and that you won’t be constantly running the filter and chlorinator for a pool that no one is using.

9. Unplug As Much As Possible

Before leaving for vacation, you can invest in smart outlets that allow you to shut off power to specific areas or unplug as much as possible. This is one of the easy ways to fix up your house before you leave that can save you money in the long run. While having some things, like lights, on a smart plug, can help deter intruders, other things like computers, TVs, fans, microwaves, and other small appliances should be unplugged. This can help prevent them from both using electricity and from being potentially damaged during a lightning storm when you’re not there.

10. Remove Hazards

Whether or not you’re going to have someone housesitting or coming by to check on pets, you’ll want to make sure your home is safe. Easy ways to fix up your house from hazards include:

• Removing any dead trees or dead overhanging branches that could blow during a storm and cause damage to your home.
• Removing hazards like mold and asbestos, especially if you have a housesitter or pets. Mold and asbestos removal should be done quickly anyway to help safeguard your own health.
• Remove anything flammable or combustible from areas where it could start a fire. For instance, don’t leave full gas cans in your garage or shed in the summer heat.
• If you live in a storm-prone area and have storm shutters, it’s worth putting them up before you go. This can help prevent debris from shattering a window if a bad storm occurs.
• Speaking of storms, make sure that everything outside is secured so that it won’t blow away or cause a hazard to your home or your neighbors. Trampolines can be a big issue, as can patio furniture, basketball hoops, and grills.

All of these things can help prevent hazards in and around your home so that it can stay safe, secure, and undamaged while you’re away.

Additional Considerations

Although these are 10 easy ways to fix up your house before you leave on vacation, the exact things that you do will depend on how long you’ll be gone, if anyone is coming over or checking on your home, and the season you’ll be gone during. For instance, if you’re leaving your home with a house sitter, you may consider fixing it up to be more comfortable for them. If no one is staying in the home, you’ll want to batten the hatches and make sure that it’s as secure and hazard-free as possible.

You may also want to take pictures of important things in your home, just in case a burglary or disaster does happen while you’re away. Taking pictures of your rooms and specific belongings, like passports, medications, extensive jewelry, and important documents can also be helpful in case of a break-in where these things were stolen. While they will hopefully never be needed, it’s a good idea to be prepared just in case.

With all of the easy ways to fix up your house before a vacation, you can make the most of your trip without needing to worry about what’s going on back at home. After all, the point of a vacation is to forget your worries and responsibilities, not spend the whole time wondering if you left the oven on.