With Spring Break fast approaching, you may be planning a week-long getaway. The last thing you would want to come home to would be water damage and an energy bill that doesn’t seem to reflect not being home for an entire week of the month. Here’s a few things you can do to save you from potential issues.
As long as there’s no threat of freezing temperatures, you can always turn off or at least turn down the temperature of your water heater. Your water heater attributes to about 14% of your energy use in your home. Whether you use hot water in your home or not, your water heater will continuously cycle to keep the water in the tank at its set temperature.
Shutting off your main water supply and opening up a faucet at the other end of your home could save you from possible water disasters. A leak or a burst pipe can cause severe water damage to your home especially if it has been leaking for days. If you’re unsure where your main water supply shutoff is, now is a great time to find it.
Don’t forget to unplug devices that won’t be used while you’re gone, this includes TVs, cable boxes, computers, game consoles, and stereos to name a few. All of these devices use standby power and attribute to about 10% of your energy usage monthly all while they are turned off.
Turn down or even turn off your thermostat so your furnace or AC unit isn’t working more than it needs to especially if temperatures don’t seem like it will be anywhere close to freezing or being too hot.
Give yourself some peace of mind knowing that you won’t come home to a water disaster and you’ll have a little extra money for vacation by turning down your water heater and thermostat and unplugging appliances. If you do run into any plumbing disasters or HVAC issues, know we’re here day and night to help get your home or business back up and running again.
De Hart Plumbing Heating and Cooling, serving Manhattan Kansas, Junction City Kansas, Wamego Kansas, Topeka Kansas, and some surrounding areas.
