Reduce the Risk of Fire or Water Damage While You're Away

There's a lot to do in the days and hours before you leave for a vacation.

assistant fire chief Tim Golay gave some tips to protect your home from fire or water damage while you're gone.

Take some time before you leave to follow these tips, and you can have some peace of mind when you leave.

Be Watched

Putting your home on a vacation watch by the is a good thing, Golay said. Not only can potential fire or water problems be spotted, but the police will have a contact number for you in case of any emergencies.

Power Down

Besides the refrigerator, do any of your appliances need to be running while you're away? Save electricity and prevent possible electrical fires by unplugging appliances large and small. 

Even when off or in standby mode, many electronic devices such as televisions, cable boxes, DVRs, computers and gaming systems still draw power. 

Pay attention to little things, Golay said, such as cell phone chargers. Chargers get hot, he said, and if the ends short out, that can start a fire.

Taking the time to unplug appliances before you leave will not only save you money on your electric bill but you also won’t have to wonder, “Hey, did I turn off the coffee maker before we left?” when you’re miles away from home.

Tend to the Mechanicals

Golay recommends replacing the air filter on your central air conditioner before you leave.

Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater to the vacation setting to save energy. 

Water, Water Everywhere

The fire department recently was called to a home where the homeowners were on vacation and a pipe burst, causing significant damage to the home.

While there's no way to prevent a burst pipe, there are ways to lower your riskl of water damage in your home while you're not there to see it and stop it.

First, Golay said, shut off the water to your washing machine. This is especially important if your laundry room is located on the main or second floor.

Another protective move is to shut off the water to the toilets, he said. 

Go Outside

If you have a pool, put the cover on while you're gone, Golay said. Also, shut off and unplug the filter system.

Sure, you'll have a green mess of algae to deal with when you get back, he said. But leaving a pool uncovered creates a risk of children or animals getting into it and drowning. And if something goes wrong with the filter system while you're gone, it could start a fire.

Golay also recommended unplugging electrical items outside like awnings.

• Protect your home while you're on vacation
• Cut the chance of a break-in or burglary