When you head out on a sailing trip, it usually means you will be away from home for a long period of time. There are some tasks that you must not forget to do before you leave. These are things that will keep your home safe while you are away. Follow this checklist to prepare for a long sailing vacation.
Shut the Water Off
It is Murphy’s Law that if you have a burst pipe, it will happen while you are on vacation. You can avoid this disaster by shutting off the water supply to your house before you leave on your sailing trip. There is a valve in the house that will shut off all the water to the interior of the house. The valve is usually located in the basement. This valve will not shut off outside water, so your automatic sprinklers will still keep your lawn healthy while you are gone.
Check Your Sump Pump
A burst water pipe is not the only thing that can cause flooding while you are away on your sailing vacation. A flash flood can quickly flood a basement. Make sure your house is ready for this by checking the sump pump before you leave.
Adjust the Thermostat
You can save some money on your electric bill by turning the thermostat to a lower or higher setting. Turn the temperature down to 50 degrees if you are going sailing in the winter. Turn it up to 90 degrees if you are going in the summer. This will save you a bundle on your energy bill while you are gone, but it won’t allow the temperature to get extreme enough to do any damage to the house.
Unplug Things
Another great way to save electricity while you are on a sailing trip is to go around the house and unplug things. Many electronic devices continue to draw power even when they are not in use. Unplug almost everything in the house. The only thing that you really need to leave plugged in is the refrigerator.
Leave the Lights On
English: J/42 cruising and racing sailboat sailing upwind in Penobscot Bay, Maine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If your home is not protected by a home security system, you may wish to leave some lights on to deter burglars. You can set these lights up on a timer. Set the timer so the lights go on when it gets dark. Have the timer set so the lights then turn off around your normal bedtime. This trick is a great way to fool prowlers that might be otherwise tempted tor strike while you are away sailing.
Store Valuables
You may want to put your most valuable items under lock and key at a storage facility while you are gone. This will keep you from worrying about them wile you are sailing on the ocean.
Author: Madyson Grant – Follow her on Google+