How do you close a vacation home? If you’ve recently wrapped up another vacation at your second home, you may be wondering what you need to do to ensure your home stays safe and sound during your absence. Even if you’ve already purchased a thorough Vacation Home Insurance policy, you may still need to take extra steps to seal up your house and close it off for the season. Fortunately, even if you’re inexperienced at sealing up a vacation home for winter, there are some core steps that can help you out.
Keep an Eye Out for Signs of the Most Common Potential House Problems
You may not be able to tackle home problems while away, but you can help prevent those problems in the first place by keeping an eye out for signs of trouble during your stay at the property. Watch out for potential signs of:
- Water leaks
- Freezing pipes
- Fire
- Vandalism
- Mold
- Pest problems
- Overgrown yards
Turn Off Unnecessary Services and Invest in Smart Technology To Help
Some home services can drain your wallet needlessly while you’re away, so why not turn them off or use smart technology to moderate them? Before leaving, you may want to:
- Turn off the water, at least to bathrooms you don’t use
- Consider turning off the heat and electricity, unless you’ll be gone during the winter season, in which case you may want to leave the thermostat set to a low temperature to prevent frozen pipes
- Purchase some smart home technology that can help you detect issues such as potential flooding or water leaks
Prepare Your Home for Upcoming Weather and Equip It With Security Technology
If you’re leaving your vacation home right before a stormy season or another potentially volatile time of the year, make sure to prepare the home for the upcoming weather. In some cases, adding in security technology can provide an additional layer of safety. Prior to locking the door and heading home, remember to:
- Drain the pool and hot tub and put covers on them
- Spray the property with pest repellants as necessary
- Close hurricane shutters and ensure all the windows and doors are tightly locked and shut
- Perform basic yard maintenance services, such as pruning the hedges and mowing the lawn, if you’ll be gone for a while
- Install security cameras around the perimeter of your house to help you keep an eye on the area even when you’re gone
Once you’ve wrapped up another vacation session at your second home, it’s important to seal up the property well to make sure it stays in good condition until your next visit. Even with extensive Vacation Home Insurance at the ready, taking a few preventative steps before heading back home after your holiday can help ensure the house remains safe and sound.
About Provident Protection Plus
At Provident Protection Plus, we have served the businesses and residents of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania for more than 60 years. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Provident Bank, the region’s premier banking institution, and we are prepared to offer you personal, business, employee benefits, and risk management solutions. To learn more about our coverage options, contact our specialists today at (888) 990-0526.