1. Thieves take everything
As we already said, your house can easily become the target of thieves if you’re not there for a couple of days or even weeks. Piles of newspapers, grass that isn’t mowed, and a lot of social media posts and stories that show you’re on vacation can be like an open invitation to thieves, saying, “Hey, there’s nobody here, so welcome”.
When burglars want to “get a new job”, they don’t randomly pick a house. They’re more likely to study different things for a couple of days, such as your work schedule, how many people are living there, how easily they can get in, if there are any broken windows, or if they could get in through your attic, basement, or backdoor.
Make sure you have everything in check; don’t forget to lock the door and put a hold on the mail; install an alarm system and check if it’s working properly; ask a neighbor if they can park in your driveway and check your home once a day; and don’t post your travel plans on the Internet.
If there are any children in your household, talk to them about not telling their social media friends about your family trip, because you can never know how many trolls are watching.
2. There’s a lot of mold in your home
Mold is one of the worst things that could happen to your home. It’s very easy to form and hard to remove, and it can cause allergies and discomfort. Experts say that in the right conditions, it takes roughly 72 hours for mold to grow and become noticeable.
Summertime humidity or humidity in general (think of the bathrooms; if you take very hot showers and don’t allow your room to completely dry, it can become home for moles) is the perfect development ground for spores.
If you’re planning a beautiful getaway in the hot months of summer and don’t want to come home and be in shock, make sure you set the central air to 77 so everything is dry and fresh. You can also take it a step further and set up some dehumidifiers over the sinks, so they can absorb the extra water in the air.
3. Your entire home floods
Did you know that old washing machines are the cause of many home disasters? If there are any bulges in the hose line, that’s a sign that they’re not that strong anymore and they can cause damage any second. It’s always best to check all the hoses before you go on vacation, and don’t forget to turn off the water supply to the laundry area so you can be extra cautious.
Moreover, an aging water heater can surprise you when you least expect it, which means that it can break down and send water downward. If you notice that there’s any water on the floor around your water heater or if your gadget has rust on the outside, it might be a sign that something’s going on and you should take care of it ASAP.
Speaking of rust, this can mean that the anode rod that’s inside the tank has been drained and the water is ruining your tank. Don’t forget to check the anode rod before you go and turn off the water supply, so nothing bad happens.
