The warm days of summer are settling in, and the family is preparing to head out on vacation. It is a time when people get away from their normal routine for a while, and they have an opportunity to enjoy new experiences away from home. However, before taking off across the country, it is important to make sure everything on the to-do list has been marked off to completion. This includes these four home maintenance tasks that everyone should be diligent to perform.

Programming the Thermostat

Since the family is going to be away for a while, it is important to keep the house at a good constant temperature. Failure to do this can cause pipes to freeze in the winter from being too cold or mold to accumulate in the summer from too much in door humidity. As a rule of thumb, you will want to set the thermostat to maintain a temperature of between 77 to 80-degrees while away on vacation.

HVAC Maintenance

Before the family heads out on vacation, it will be important to have a maintenance check done on a home’s HVAC-system. Not running a home’s HVAC unit can sometimes do damage. So, after programming the thermostat, it is critical to ensure that a home’s air conditioning is being pumped out correctly by a qualified HVAC technician. This should ensure it will run without issue while the family is gone.

Security Maintenance

With the family being away, security will become a major issue. Sure, a neighbor might offer to watch the house, but making sure the locks work, automatic lights turn on and off, the security system is operational, cameras track well and the digital surveillance app on a smartphone for monitoring these aspects of home security are functioning in concert are all important factors to look at for optimal home protection. Also, be certain to have all mail halted as well until the family returns home from their vacation. Mail and newspapers piling up is a sure sign that people are away, and such a home appears to be a lucrative target to unscrupulous thieves.

Pest Management

The last thing a family wants to come home to is a dwelling inundated with roaches or other pests. Spraying for unwanted critters is a top priority to prevent this from occurring. Patching any structural holes is also an important task to carry out; thus, making it far more difficult for unwanted pests to gain access into a residential home.

While everyone is packing the car to leave, the last items on the to-do list are receiving that final touch. It is going to be nice to finally have a few days with the family all together for vacation. It has been a long time since everyone was able to make this kind of long road trip a reality, so the family is excited to see what adventures await them in the days and weeks to come.