Are you planning a vacation this summer? Whether you’re heading out of town for a trip across the world or simply to visit family for a few days, it’s worth considering the safety of your home whilst you’re away. As well as being security conscious, unplugging electronics around your home is also a simple way to pocket extra dollars in electricity savings.
To keep your home protected – not to mention your budget – ensure both fire prevention and savings by unplugging or disabling these electrical appliances before you jet off.
Entertainment Systems
A modern entertainment system is among the top energy-hungry units in your home. They’re convenient to leave switched on when in use every day by your family, but if your entertainment system won’t be needed for a few days, it’s best to go to the trouble to unplug it.
Small kitchen appliances
As well as using up precious energy, small kitchen appliances such as a coffee maker, also pose a safety risk whilst you’re out of town. Their components or inner workings could potentially fail and quickly catch alight.
Charging devices
Did you know that chargers for phones, laptops, toothbrushes, and more add to your electricity bill even when not in-use? Charge your devices for your vacation and pack them safely in your luggage, and if you plan to leave any cables behind, ensure they’re safely tidied away.
Electronics
It’s likely that you’ll be bringing your phone, iPad, laptop, or other electronic devices with you on vacation. But if you plan to mentally ‘unplug’ for the week, then don’t forget to disable them and store them somewhere safe whilst you’re out of town.
Lighting
Don’t forget to flick the switches off before you leave! It’s an easy one to forget, especially if you’re heading on vacation in the dark hours.
What shouldn’t you unplug?
Even if your refrigerator is generally empty, we’d recommend leaving it on. If it’s switched off then your freezer is likely to defrost and create a puddle on the floor, not only is this a nuisance to arrive home to, but the water is also a further hazard.
Make sure that your security system is also still running whilst you’re away, including any external lighting that you’ve had fitted to deter intruders.
Before you finish putting your bags in your vehicle to head out of town on your well-deserved vacation, don’t forget to check your fire alarms are in good working order and close all your internal doors. This will help contain a fire whilst you’re away and prevent further damage to be caused.
If you are concerned about your property whilst you’re away, it’s always useful to appoint a trusted, local keyholder who knows how to contact you in case of an emergency.
