The sun is out and so are Denverites. With the Rockies in our backyards and nearly endless sunshine, it’s almost impossible to resist the call of weekend trips. Whether you’re traveling for a weekend to the mountains or taking a week long summer vacation out of the country, you want to be careful to protect your house from damages.
Here are 7 summer home incidents to prepare for:
Here are 7 summer home incidents to prepare for:
1. Water Leaks
The most common water leaks come from refrigerators, swamp coolers, dishwashers and washer hoses. Before you leave on your vacation turn off the water to these lines or you may be coming to some mushy floors. You can do a quick test for leaks on your own before taking off. Check your water meter and wait 15 minutes, make sure that no one uses any water. Check the water meter again, if it shows that there has been water use, you likely have a leak.
The most common water leaks come from refrigerators, swamp coolers, dishwashers and washer hoses. Before you leave on your vacation turn off the water to these lines or you may be coming to some mushy floors. You can do a quick test for leaks on your own before taking off. Check your water meter and wait 15 minutes, make sure that no one uses any water. Check the water meter again, if it shows that there has been water use, you likely have a leak.
2. Fire
No one wants to believe that their home could be the one that burns down, but it could happen to anyone. If you live in an older home, it may be time for a electrical inspection. Look for wiring that has been damaged by pests or insects or is improperly grounded. Don’t forget to check the attic or crawl space for exposed wires. If you’re unsure of what to look for, call in a professional. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
3. Robbery
Headed overseas for a while? Leaving your home vacant for your road trip to Florida? To protect your home from robbery while you are away be careful where you share information about your trips. Avoid posting on social media that your home will be vacant for a long period of time. You may have tight privacy settings, but you never know who can see your posts, and you don’t want to come home to an emptied out house.
4. Infestation
As part of preparation for your trip want to make sure your food is stored in airtight containers and there are no crumbs anywhere in your home. Most pests are attracted to food so removing the temptation will help to prevent any problems. Walk the outside of your home to look for any cracks and then take the appropriate measures to seal them such as spray foam. Even simply spraying the outside of your home with a pest control product can help to prevent an infestation. It’s easier to keep pests away then it is to get rid of them.
5. Tree limb breaks
With Colorado’s unpredictable weather you can never be too careful about tree limbs that could potentially cause damage. It would be awful to come home from a weekend of camping to find a tree limb crushing your home. Hire a professional or spend a Saturday removing low hanging tree limbs are close to your home and dead branches, as these are likely to be blown off in a severe thunderstorm.
6. Flash floods
Floods are hard to protect a home from, but if you know you are in a flood zone, there are a few things you can do to prevent extreme damage. While this isn’t a weekend project, you will want to raise your electrical and climate systems to at least a foot above the expected flood level. If storms are in the forecast while you are gone, it may be to your benefit to move your furniture to a second level, just in case of flooding. The best thing you can do for your home if you live in a flood zone is ensure that your homeowner’s insurance covers floods.
7. Thunderstorms
Summer is thunderstorm season in Colorado, and impressive thunderstorms they are. With the potential for lightning strikes and hail, it’s important to protect your house from these storms. Before you leave for your trip make sure that your major appliances and electronics are unplugged to prevent damage from power surges. If you live at a higher elevation, consider hiring a professional to install a lightning rod to further protect your home from lightning. If your home is ready for a new roof, install hail resistant shingles that carry a class 4 UL rating.
With proper preparation, you can head out on your summer vacation knowing that your home will be safe. Small changes now can prevent big disasters later.
No one wants to believe that their home could be the one that burns down, but it could happen to anyone. If you live in an older home, it may be time for a electrical inspection. Look for wiring that has been damaged by pests or insects or is improperly grounded. Don’t forget to check the attic or crawl space for exposed wires. If you’re unsure of what to look for, call in a professional. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
3. Robbery
Headed overseas for a while? Leaving your home vacant for your road trip to Florida? To protect your home from robbery while you are away be careful where you share information about your trips. Avoid posting on social media that your home will be vacant for a long period of time. You may have tight privacy settings, but you never know who can see your posts, and you don’t want to come home to an emptied out house.
4. Infestation
As part of preparation for your trip want to make sure your food is stored in airtight containers and there are no crumbs anywhere in your home. Most pests are attracted to food so removing the temptation will help to prevent any problems. Walk the outside of your home to look for any cracks and then take the appropriate measures to seal them such as spray foam. Even simply spraying the outside of your home with a pest control product can help to prevent an infestation. It’s easier to keep pests away then it is to get rid of them.
5. Tree limb breaks
With Colorado’s unpredictable weather you can never be too careful about tree limbs that could potentially cause damage. It would be awful to come home from a weekend of camping to find a tree limb crushing your home. Hire a professional or spend a Saturday removing low hanging tree limbs are close to your home and dead branches, as these are likely to be blown off in a severe thunderstorm.
6. Flash floods
Floods are hard to protect a home from, but if you know you are in a flood zone, there are a few things you can do to prevent extreme damage. While this isn’t a weekend project, you will want to raise your electrical and climate systems to at least a foot above the expected flood level. If storms are in the forecast while you are gone, it may be to your benefit to move your furniture to a second level, just in case of flooding. The best thing you can do for your home if you live in a flood zone is ensure that your homeowner’s insurance covers floods.
7. Thunderstorms
Summer is thunderstorm season in Colorado, and impressive thunderstorms they are. With the potential for lightning strikes and hail, it’s important to protect your house from these storms. Before you leave for your trip make sure that your major appliances and electronics are unplugged to prevent damage from power surges. If you live at a higher elevation, consider hiring a professional to install a lightning rod to further protect your home from lightning. If your home is ready for a new roof, install hail resistant shingles that carry a class 4 UL rating.
With proper preparation, you can head out on your summer vacation knowing that your home will be safe. Small changes now can prevent big disasters later.