3 Steps to Prevent Water Damage in Your Home During Vacation.

7/8/2022 (Permalink)

Enjoy your vacation by doing these 3 preventative steps to stop any water damage from happening!

Vacations should be the definition of summer. Kids are out of school, teachers are celebrating, and everyone wants to find that special time to relax in the sun. How many of us have a calendar with a giant red circle around the start of our vacation date? You can almost feel the stress melting off as time gets closer. According to one study, after four days of vacation, stress levels begin to lower significantly. Feel free to include that study next time you ask your boss off from work. That study also shows that the effects of vacation can last up to 30 days. Try to remember that fact as we move on. 

The leading musty smell in homes is mold growth. Yes, mold smells, and it's a pretty good sign moisture control is needed if you smell it. Mold is a lot like Batman. It creeps in the night and loves dark damp environments. This is why coming home from a seven-day vacation to your dark home, can increase the chances of mold growth and create that special musty smell greeting you as you enter the door. Remember the quotes in elementary school, "He who smelled it, expelled it", "He who detected it, projected it", or "He who denied it, supplied it"? Yea, that applies here. If you smell mold, it probably exists, and finding the root becomes priority number one. 

WATER DAMAGE!

Leaky pipes, faulty appliances, broken AC unit, whatever the cause, water, and moisture is the common cause of Mold growth. Mold not only loves water but organic matter. (Organic matter like flooring, cabinets, walls, and rugs.) Making these prime areas for mold growth when wet. A simple toilet overflow, when not dried and cleaned properly, could be the start of more severe issues. This is a great time to remember the effects of your vacation can last up to 30 days. 

We know no one wants to come home to a musty house, water damage, or mold growth, so here are a few steps to follow before leaving on that dreamy vacation. 

3 steps to prevent water damage on your extended vacation! 

1. Turn off the water in your home. 

• The first step is to find the water main supply to your house and shut off the water. Here is a quick instructional video. Remember to drain all the water from your pipes by turning on the faucets until no further water runs out, and flush toilets to remove excess water from the bowls and tanks. 

2. Turn up the temperature, but don't turn off the A/C unit. 

• The rule of thumb is to bump your thermostat up 5 degrees from your normal home temperature. This helps save you money on energy costs and allows your A/C unit to not overwork, creating fewer chances for it to break and cause water damage while you are gone. 

3. Set your water heater.

• Some water heaters have a vacation mode that lowers the temperature several degrees. You can also do this manually before leaving on your vacation. This will help your water heater from cycling on and off so often while you are gone, preventing a potential water leak or spill. Remember it’s not recommended to turn off your water heater. 

If you do come back from vacation and find water standing, flooding, or mold growth, give SERVPRO of North Shasta, Trinity, and Greater Tehama Counties a call. We are the professionals that are trained and certified in water damage and mold remediation in Redding, California. We make sure your home is safe, clean, and dry. Prolong the lower levels of stress from your vacation by allowing us to clean up the water, dry out your organic matter (flooring, cabinets, walls, and rugs), and prevent mold from entering your home. 

We help eliminate the stress! Call us today! 530-222-0200!