Four Reasons YOU Should Donate a Coat to the 12th Annual Charlotte Coat Drive
August 22, 2022
You have probably never seen the inside of your home as much as you have during the past several months. Anxious for a change of scenery, are you planning a brief goodbye to your home this summer for a [socially distant & safe] vacation?
Especially because you have given your home a good workout this spring (since it has functioned as your school, office, gym,church and more!), be sure to add home care to your list … right after self-care, of course.
What should top your list? We recommend these four quick to-dos before you go.
Fridge & Garbage: Clean & Empty
Clean the fridge of all your perishable goods and empty all your garbage cans. Put this on your list even a day or two before departure to lighten your load on the day-of. You will make coming home extra clean and easy, and you will not have that expired milk wafting a sour “welcome home” when you return.
Plumbing: Prevent Leaks & Floods
Have a professional make sure you are safeguarded from water damage. You can have us do a one-time maintenance call, or even better, you can sign up for our Plumbing Simplified Service Plan (SSP), which checks all fixtures for proper functionality, verifies leak-free operation, cleans aerators, flushes tanked or tankless water heaters, checks water pressure and flow, and much more. You never know what is lurking in places you cannot see!
Plus, we can install Wi-Fi water monitoring devices that shut off water in case something goes wrong while you are away.
Thermostat: Adjust, But Not Too much
Adjust your thermostat but do not ever set above 79° for cooling! If you set above 79°, humidity levels in the house will get too high, which could cause bacteria and mold to grow. If you set below 62°, drywall joints could pop and reveal nail holes.
Three degrees higher or lower than normal will do the trick. For instance, if you normally keep the house at 70°F in the summertime, 73°F is the way to go.
Like on the plumbing side of things, new Wi-Fi thermostats can monitor your heating and cooling while you are away and communicate with you from afar. We install these for as low as $250, but in the end, you will find they pay for themselves.
Doors,Windows & Lights: Shut & Lock
Your last steps through your home before hopping in the car should be to shut everything! Shut off all lights, electronics, and water. Also, unplug your appliances (within reason). Shut all windows … and make sure each is locked. When you do all these things, you are being kind to your wallet and the environment.
We know you are busting at the seams to get out of the house, but you will want to be sure your home is a comfortable oasis when you return too. Have a wonderful trip but do these four things first to make sure the return to routine is as smooth as can be.
Nobody wants to help you beat the heat and care for your home more than Charlotte Mechanical. Contact us today with any cooling or plumbing questions.
