Cold weather is long gone and the sun is here to stay. Now that summer has officially hit, it’s time for a well-deserved vacation! Time away with loved ones can be a perfect way to celebrate the season. 

 

Before you hit the road, make sure preparing house for extended vacation is at the top of your priority list, so you can enjoy your trip without worrying about what’s happening back home. Things to do at home before going on vacation can be anything from cleaning to checking a sump pump. 

 

This guide will help walk you through the top tips to prepare house for vacation, so you can leave your home behind knowing it’s been taken care of properly. 

 

Keep it clean

One of the best things you can do when preparing house for extended vacation is to clean. This goes beyond just having a clean house to come home to. While that is a plus, it’s more important to focus on removing any trash or food that could spoil or lead to pests taking over your home while you’re away.

The best way to keep those uninvited guests at bay is to make sure that no food is left out. Fruit is a big one. If you have a fruit bowl, make sure to either store the food in the refrigerator, use it up or dispose of it properly. 

 

Don’t forget about your pantry, too! Any opened boxes (including pet food) should be put away in airtight containers to ensure that no pests can make their way into your cabinets.

 

Even small crumbs can bring in unwanted bugs. Wiping down all services so they are free of crumbs will help keep them out.

Take out the trash

This is an obvious tip, but it bears repeating. Taking out any trash from any part of your home is imperative. Even that tiny desk trash can or the bathroom trash can is vital because even though they are small they still have the power to bring in pests.

 

Now, taking out the trash means more than just emptying your cans. This goes for recycling and any other unwanted items like newspapers or boxes. Cockroaches are known to be drawn to paper and cardboard products. 

 

If you do come back to find that unwanted visitors have set up shop in your home, call our Northern Virginia pest control specialists immediately — they can assess the severity of the infestation and create an elimination plan.

Finish the dishes and laundry

Again, while it’s always nice to come home to a fresh and clean kitchen, doing the dishes before you leave is more about removing the possibility of an infestation. Dirty dishes will still have crumbs or leftover food on them that will attract pests, leaving you with more than just dishes to deal with when you arrive home.

 

 

For both dishes and laundry to be safe, you should always finish your rotations while you’re still in the house. Dishwashers can overfill and dryers can catch fire. It’s a good rule of thumb to always be home while you’re running these appliances, but especially when you will be out of the house for an extended period.

Pest-proof the yard

This tip can be an easy one to skip or forget about but if you spend time outside you won’t want to miss it. Taking a small amount of time to attempt to keep mosquitoes from breeding in your outdoor space will be worth it.

 

Mosquitos tend to breed in areas where standing water is present. So if you have a wheelbarrow, bucket, etc. sitting out, you may return to an increased number of mosquitos. If you have items like that be sure to cover them along with any unused planters, birdbaths, and pools.

Check on your sump pump

If you have a sump pump, do not skip checking it before leaving. Sump pumps help keep water out of your basement or crawl space when flooding occurs. If heavy rainfall happens while you’re away and the sump pump isn’t functioning properly, you could be in trouble. 

 

Two ways to check that your sump pump is working:

 

• Unplug the sump pump, then plug it back in. Once you have done this, the pump should turn back on immediately. If there’s a delay in turn-on time, or your pump doesn’t turn back on at all, contact one of our five-star technicians to schedule a repair.
• Run water through the sump pump. Add enough water to the pump to raise the float and see if the pump kicks on. Watch the pump carefully to make sure water is being pumped out of the hole.

Set the temp

One of the last things you should do on your way out is set the air conditioner temperature. Since you’ll be out of the house, there’s no need to cool the place down to your usual desired temperature. 

Programmable thermostats often include a “vacation mode” setting that allows you to schedule when you want your house to be cooled back down. Implementing this step when you prepare the house for vacation will keep your AC from overworking and save you some money in the long run.

Rest easy on vacation

Putting in the effort to vacation-proof your home before you leave allows you to fully relax and enjoy your time away with friends and family without a care in the world.
 

Now that you know how to take care of house while away if you need other home help CroppMetcalfe is here for you. Have questions about mosquito control? Need help fixing a leak before your trip? Call our five-star technicians at 1-877-740-6657 or schedule an appointment online today.

 

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