Tips for Leaving the Cold Weather Behind

With much of the country experiencing an unusually cold winter, as a follow-up on my last post regarding packing light for cold weather, here I want to give you tips on how to safely leave your house unattended in such extreme temperatures.

*Set thermostat to 55 - Lowering the thermostat a little will save energy (and money), but will also keep the house warm enough to help prevent any pipes freezing.

*Shut curtains/blinds - This helps keep the heat inside the house.

*Open cabinet doors - This allows the circulation of warm air nearer the water pipes.

*Let the water facets drip - Believe it or not, this doesn't waste as much water as you might think. According to the USGS, if you leave 5 faucets dripping, that would end up being only 1L of water per day. Much better than if your pipes burst and leave your house flooded!

*Hide a key (or give one to a neighbor) to keep an eye on your house.

*Hold your mail at usps.com or ask someone to check for packages - Electronics, food, medicine, etc. shouldn't be out in extreme cold for an extended period of time.

*Check the 10-day forecast - A lot of states have wide fluctuations of weather in the wintertime, and checking your home forecast for while you'll be away will help you know precautions to take before you leave!