Whether you’re going to spend the holidays with family or doing the “snowbird” thing and spending the winter in a warmer climate like the Gulf Coast region, you have some work to do on your home before you leave.
These tips not only help keep your home safe but can keep your energy costs down as well. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a little more money for holiday feasting?
“Why do I need a tune-up?” you may be wondering. You won’t be home using it, after all. That may be true, but, while you won’t be home, your house will still need to be kept securely warm. If your furnace or boiler conks out while you’re away, your home could get cold enough inside to freeze and burst the pipes. If it’s been more than a year since your last tune-up—or you can’t recall the last time you had work done—give us a call as soon as possible before it’s too late.
Don’t waste energy and money heating your house when you aren’t there. Set your thermostat to 55°F until you return. That helps save energy while also keeping the home warm enough to protect the pipes.
A smart thermostat comes in handy when you’re on vacation, too! You can check your thermostat settings anywhere you get a signal, and you can set it to warm up the house ahead of your return.
Your water heater is an unsung hard worker all year long—give your water heater a bit of a vacation as well! If you have a conventional tank storage water heater, turn your water heater to the “Vacation” or “Low” setting. That way, it won’t be running as frequently to keep heating the water in the tank when you’re not there.
Energy vampires are appliances and electronics that consume energy even when you are not using them, driving up your energy costs.
These are most likely to be in the kitchen and bathroom. Unplug small kitchen appliances, such as multicookers, coffee makers, stand mixers, and toasters. Unplug electric toothbrushes and hair styling equipment in the bathroom.
Other items around your home to unplug include:
TIP: If you’re an existing Automatic Delivery customer and going to be away longer than a few weeks, make sure you contact LG Jordan and let us know. This avoids an unneeded delivery while you’re away!