As we say goodbye to February, Massachusetts homeowners know it can be the coldest stretch of winter, it’s when the wind howls through the bare trees and the thermostat is working overtime. What better time to trade snow shovels for sunscreen and jet off to a warm, sunny escape?
The excitement of vacation builds as you pack your bags, dreaming of palm trees and ocean breezes. You’ve locked the doors, shut the windows, and pulled the blinds tight. But wait! What about the electrical side of your home? There’s nothing worse than that nagging feeling on the plane when your checklist is done, but something still feels off. Yep, it’s like Kevin’s mom in the movie Home Alone, except instead of forgetting a kid, you’ve overlooked your electrical checklist. It’s the one thing that often slips through the cracks.
In this guide, we will walk you through the must-do tasks to power down your home safely, providing valuable information on how to perform each task and why it’s important. Not only that, we will also give guidance on how to be proactive and prepare your home for future vacations and sit poolside with no worries. Keep reading to get ready, set, go, and rest easy knowing your home and its electrical system are safe and sound while you’re away.
Why the Electrical Checklist Matters
Safety First: Completing an electrical checklist before leaving for vacation directly tackles three significant risk factors: fire hazards, energy waste, and appliance damage from power surges. By powering down systematically, the checklist ensures nothing is left vulnerable, keeping your home safe, efficient, and intact until you return.
Peace of Mind: Few things are more unsettling than having that “I’ve forgotten something important” feeling. The point of vacation is to unwind and relax, and forgetting to safeguard your home from electrical hazards can certainly interfere with that. Knowing that you went through a well-planned, thorough electrical safety checklist, you can avoid those “Did I leave the coffee maker on?” moments.
With the looming risks of electrical issues occurring while gone, having a pre-vacation electrical checklist is vital. Knowing that your home is as ready for a break as you are, you can have the peace of mind that your home will be safe and awaiting your return.
The Electrical Checklist: What to Do, How to Do It, and Why It’s Important
1. Unplug Non-Essential Appliances
What to Do: Unplug your small electronic devices that are not essential to have running while you’re away. This includes items like toasters, coffee makers, TVs, chargers, and computers.
How to Do It: Going into each room of your home, unplug anything not needed while you’re gone. Of course, larger items like fridges and freezers must remain plugged in and we will address these items a little further in the list.
Why It’s Important: Unplugging unused electronic devices while you’re away will most importantly save these devices from overheating or causing short circuit risks that can start fires by causing sparks. Secondly, it reduces energy waste by preventing these items from sitting quietly, using energy, and increasing energy costs when not necessary.
2. Turn Off Power Strips
What to Do: Any power strips in the home that are connecting multiple devices like TVs, sound systems, and gaming consoles, should be powered off.
How to Do It: Go into each room of the home and look for power strips. Before switching the power off on the strip, make sure there aren’t any critical devices attached (fridges, freezers).
Why It’s Important: Cutting the power to power strips protects your devices from damage from power surges, saves energy, and adds an extra layer of safety for fire hazards.
3. Install Surge Protectors
What to Do: For appliances and devices that need to remain powered, install surge protectors, designed to protect your device from voltage spikes.
How to Do It: Be careful to purchase surge protectors and not power strips (because they look similar) and connect the necessary appliance to the surge protector and then the surge protector to the outlet.
Why It’s Important: Surge protectors protect your large appliances and valuable electronics from damage caused by power spikes that can be caused by lightning strikes or hiccups in the power grid. This can save you money on repairs and replacement.
4. Adjust the Thermostat
What to Do: When leaving for vacation from Massachusetts in the winter, adjust your thermostat to balance your energy savings while protecting your home.
How to Do It: If your thermostat has an app, it can be utilized to set the temperature to an “away” mode. If not, use the thermostat panel located in your home to set the temperature between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why It’s Important: This temperature will keep the house warm enough to prevent the pipes from freezing, which is the last souvenir you want from your vacation. Also, avoid the energy waste of heating an empty home.
5. Check Smoke Detectors
What to Do: Test your smoke detectors to make sure they are properly functioning and that batteries are not weak.
How to Do It: Using a step stool or ladder and proper safety precautions, press the test button on your device and replace any weak batteries with fresh ones.
Why It’s Important: Making sure that your smoke detectors are properly functioning with fully charged batteries ensures that their alerts will work if something goes wrong while you’re away.
6. Double-Check Major Appliances
What to Do: Make sure that all major appliances are off and inspect their cords and connections.
How to Do It: Inspect each appliance ensuring that the switches and knobs are in the “off” position. Look at the cords for wear and tear, such as frayed cords. If cords are damaged, the appliance should be disconnected from the electrical source.
Why It’s Important: Making sure all appliances are in the off position prevents fire hazards by accidentally leaving something on and unattended. Unplugging any cords that show signs of damage also helps to mitigate the risk of fire.
7. Inspect the Electrical Panel
What to Do: With a quick look in the electrical panel you can identify any potential issues and minimize the risks while you’re away.
How to Do It: Open your electrical panel and look for things like loose wires, discolored or burnt breakers, and signs of overheating.
Why It’s Important: Damaged wires in the breaker box can lead to potential fire hazards. Making sure everything is in good condition before vacation can keep problems from escalating while you’re gone.
Proactive Measures: Prep Your Home Long Before Vacation
Make a List: Put together a laminated, reusable checklist that can be used anytime you’re preparing to leave.
Routine Maintenance: Schedule annual electrical inspections with your local electrician in Southborough to catch issues early.
Consider Timers for Your Lights: Having indoor and exterior lights that are set to timers gives the illusion that the home is occupied while minimizing energy usage.
Consider a Home Generator: Home generators can prevent hazards while you’re away by providing backup power to essential systems like heat, sump pumps, and security systems, helping to prevent frozen pipes, flooding, and break-ins.
Upgrade to Smart Devices: Having smart devices installed in your home is convenient and energy-saving. Many devices are available such as smart thermostats, plugs, water heaters, lighting systems, and security systems.
In Case of Emergency: Have a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member that you can trust with access to your home in case of an emergency. Also know how to get in touch with a local electrician in Southborough who offers 24 hour emergency services.
As you trade snowy Massachusetts for sunnier shores, don’t let electrical mishaps dim your vacation glow. Using this checklist, start unplugging those appliances, flipping off those power strips, and turning down the thermostat to that perfect vacation temperature. You’ve powered down your home with intention and purpose, reducing fire risks, eliminating energy waste, and preventing surge damage. Add the proactive steps like laminated lists or a home generator, and you’re not just prepped for this trip, but every getaway in the future. No need to channel Kevin’s mom with a mid-air panic, your home is safe, sound, and ready for your return. Now go and soak up that sun, sip that drink, and leave the worries behind.