After many months stuck at home, are you finally preparing for a vacation? Nowadays, you need to include your vaccination card with your passport. But there are a few more precautions while you are gone. Almost 70% of home burglaries occur when the house is vacant. Having a sitter in your home while you are away is the safest option. 

If a pipe leaks while you are on vacation, hundreds of gallons of water can destroy carpets, furniture and your possessions. Even worse, the long amount of time might allow water to compromise the structural integrity of your walls, floors or foundation. Before leaving your home for more than a few days, make some notes and get organized so that you don’t come home to an expensive mess.

In the kitchen, give a quick demo of appliances (and their quirks.) Restock the garbage bags and give instructions for trash day. Show them the location of the cleaning supplies. Load up the cabinet with extra paper towels, a clean mop, detergents, and a scrub brush.

Provide your travel itinerary and dates. Plan for the worst. Direct them to the thermostat, fire extinguisher, electrical panel, and the water shut off valve at the street.

Before you leave, confirm emergency contact details with your sitter. Include your reliable neighbor, the veterinarian (if there are pets) and the water damage restoration experts at Clean Masters. Explain to them that in case of a water emergency, you want the restoration team on site ASAP. 

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Problem Free Pets

Help your pet setter avoid obvious issues. Although you’ll want to be sure that your pets have plenty of water when you are gone, place an extra waterproof layer under the water bowls to carcht leaks. Consider a cookie sheet or plastic mat with a lip to contain any spills. 

Run through the normal routines. If there is a particular path or  route your dog loves, take the sitter out for a walk. If your feline has a fav toy or brush, leave it in an obvious spot. Running through daily routines will ensure that both your home and pets get great care for these days.

If your pet is upset, does it have a usual spot that it pees on the floor? Plan a head; treat the area with a pheromone product to discourage a repeat performance. And keep the cleanup supply handy.

Check In On Your Home Insurance

Before planning your vacation, review your household insurance policy. Some insurance policies are invalid if you haven’t turned the water off for an absence of four days or longer.  Some are invalid if you haven’t hired a house sitter for absences of more than 21 days.

Should I Turn Off the Water When No One Is There?

If there is no one to check your house during your trip, turn off the water at the main. It doesn’t take long for a small problem to turn into a large one if a leak or burst pipes remain undetected for days. 

In Charleston, we don’t need to drain the pipes to keep them from bursting in freezing weather. But in the dead of winter, you should leave the cupboards under sinks open to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes.

Trust The Experts At Clean Masters

If you notice signs of water damage when you return home, call the restoration experts at Clean Masters for help. The experienced water damage restoration team will have you back to a pre-loss condition quickly in North Charleston. Clean Master’s services range from daily equipment rental to e mergency water damage restoration and full c ontent drying . 

Avoid Water Damage When You Are Out Of Town

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