Shorter days and cooler nights spur birds and retirees to migrate south to warmer lands. Before you hop that plane, slip behind the wheel of that truck and trailer, or hit the road in that RV, take steps to protect the investment in your home. There’s more to consider than forwarding the mail, stopping the paper and transferring the landline to your mobile phone.
The two ways to protect your home while traveling in the winter are a full or partial shutdown. A full shutdown requires draining the water pipes in your home. Because our temperate climate has few freezing days, opting for a partial shutdown works most of the time. Remember, there’s no perfect way to shut down your home — simply one that feels safe and convenient for you.
A place to start might be with improvements that keep heat in. For example, finish any weatherization tasks you’ve put off. Add weather stripping around doors and windows, check insulation levels in the attic and crawl space, and add insulation to exposed pipes. Look after your heating unit by changing the filter, and perhaps even having a professional do an annual checkup.
Check your crawl space and make sure it’s free of debris and moisture. Replace any missing or drooping insulation and make sure the ground is covered. Any uninsulated pipes, like the outside water faucets exiting the foundation, may still freeze and break during long cold spells, so cover them with foam shells to reduce their risk of freezing.
Some appliances need extra attention. If you choose to leave freezer and refrigerator on, turn the fridge and freezer thermostats up. Otherwise, empty them. Defrost the freezer and the freezing compartment of your fridge and unplug them. Then wash their insides using a tablespoon of baking soda in a quart of water. After drying their interiors, you should prop open their doors.
While you will want to keep the utility bill low, you’ll also want to make your home look occupied by using a timer to turn lamps in various rooms on and off. Swapping out lights for CFLs or LEDs is a good idea for your inside fixtures. In addition, install new batteries in your home’s smoke detectors. Then test that they work and make sure the outside security lights work well before you leave.
On departure day, set your thermostat between 55 and 60 degrees. Then start unplugging. Pull the plugs on televisions, cable boxes, all computer equipment and the microwave. Also, unplug any appliances that have LED lights or digital clocks, because they use energy even when not in use. Make sure any unused phone or device chargers are unplugged (and packed if you need them). Finally, don’t forget to turn the water off at the washing machine to stop water damage.
Leaving a home empty does have risks. For insurance purposes, you can use a smartphone to make videos of each room. Don’t announce your travels on Facebook, but do tap into your social network. Alert neighbors you trust that you’re traveling. Leave keys with a friend or family member who can check your home and update you occasionally. Stay in touch to learn about major weather changes that might call for someone to make a visit to the home to make sure all is well.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
