Prepping Your Home for Your Last-Minute Summer Getaway

It’s high summer in northwest Arkansas, making this a prime time for family road trips. Prepping your home for your summer getaway is not something everyone thinks about before heading out of town. Taking measures to protect your home while you’re on vacation will go a long way toward keeping your residence secure.

• Leave your A/C on at set intervals to make it appear as if someone is home. Thieves take the time to check if anyone is home. Hearing the A/C kick on is a good sign that someone is home because most people switch it off before leaving to save on energy costs. To save on energy, you still have the option of setting the thermostat several degrees higher than normal.
• If you neglected to have your A/C or heat pump tuned up this spring or summer, consider doing it before you leave on vacation. The last thing you want is to come home to a broken-down air conditioner and a steamy hot house.
• Give a trusted neighbor a heads-up that you’re going on vacation. This is a good idea because you want to have someone nearby who can call should the need arise. We recommend handing your neighbor a list of numbers that includes a reliable A/C company, the police department, and the number of a trusted plumber should something happen while you’re away.
• Call and ask the post office to put a hold on your mail until you return. An overstuffed mailbox is one of the first things a potential thief looks for when scoping out a house to rob.
• Ask your neighbors to park one of their cars in your driveway and offer to return the favor once they decide to take a vacation. A parked car in the driveway will deter a thief because most criminals don’t want to risk that someone is home when they enter the residence.

Contact us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal for more recommendations on prepping your home for your summer getaway. Our company has served northwest Arkansas for more than 40 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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