How to Prepare your Home for Being Away on Winter Vacation

The winter months are the perfect time to get away for vacation in a warmer place, especially if you live in Chicago, which can be quite chilly.

If you are planning on going on vacation for the holidays, you’ll want to make sure that your home is protected while you’re away, so that when you come back it is just how you left it. Here is a checklist of things to remember to do before you leave for holiday!

Leave the Heat On

Every year, homeowners go on vacation and turn the heat down – or off – while they are away. This is one of the major reasons why pipes freeze and burst in homes in Chicago, because the cold weather moves in and the house is not warm enough to counter the cold outside.

People typically turn the heat down to save money, and in addition to this breaking pipes potentially, it is also not really cheaper. This is because the cost to re-heat the house is greater than the cost to maintain, or at least the same price.

Make it Look Like Someone is Home

Even though you aren’t really there, you will want it to look like you are if you are gone for multiple days at a time. This is to deter people from breaking into your home and stealing your belongings while you are away, and will help ensure that you are returning to a safe home.

To make it look like someone is home you should:

• Leave a few lights on
• Shut the blinds and curtains either halfway or all the way
• Leave an extra car in the driveway
• Have your neighbors or someone come by and pick up the mail or newspapers
• Have automatic lights that come on at night (like the front porch light)

These are not guaranteed to deter thieves from attempting to break into your home, however it will decrease the chances greatly.

Unplug

While turning off the heat to save money is a bad idea, unplugging appliances and other electronics while you are gone is actually recommended. Not all appliances should be unplugged, as some need to stay connected to power – like the refrigerator.

It is recommended to unplug floor and table lamps, power strips and anything plugged into wall outlets. Chargers (even ones that are not charging anything) should be unplugged because they still use energy even if they are just a cable.

Unplugging things that are not in use while you are away can save you money on your electric bill, while reducing the risk of electrical fires too!

Hard Freeze Vulnerabilities: Lessons from Texas Winter Storms

Unlike northern homes engineered for sustained sub-zero temperatures with internal plumbing routing, Texas residential construction places extensive water piping inside unconditioned attic spaces and exterior walls. When a sudden Arctic polar plunge strikes Southeast Texas, vacant homes face catastrophic burst pipe risks. A ruptured 3/4-inch copper or PEX pipe in an attic can discharge over 600 gallons of pressurized water per hour, causing six-figure structural destruction in just 24 hours.

The Complete Vacant Home Freeze-Protection Checklist

• Main Water Shutoff & Pressure Bleed: Turn off the primary water supply valve at the house manifold or municipal curb meter. Open all exterior hose bibbs and interior faucets at the lowest and highest points of the house to drain remaining line pressure.
• Thermostat Management: Never turn your heating system off. Maintain your thermostat at a minimum of 58°F to 62°F to ensure ambient attic and wall cavity temperatures remain above freezing.
• Water Heater Isolation: Switch gas water heaters to 'Pilot' mode or turn off electric water heater breaker disconnects to prevent elements from burning out if water drains from the tank.
• Exterior Hose Bibb Insulation: Disconnect all garden hoses and install insulated foam freeze covers over all outdoor spigots.
• Attic Access Hatch Sealing: Keep attic access doors tightly latched, or slightly open the hatch if outdoor temperatures plunge below 20°F to allow conditioned house air into the attic cavity.

Smart Home Freeze-Detection & Automatic Shutoff Valves

Modern technology provides robust protection for traveling homeowners. Installing smart flow-monitoring shutoff valves (such as Moen Flo or Phyn Plus) monitors water pressure and flow rates 24/7, automatically shutting off the main water line and alerting your smartphone if abnormal flow or freezing temperatures are detected inside the supply infrastructure.