Ready to take off for someplace warm in the coming weeks? Good for you! Just remember that winter weather here in New Jersey can change quickly – and without a little preparation, that weather can have potentially disastrous results for your home.

Here’s a quick checklist of things to do to prevent unwanted surprises when you return from your winter getaway.

1. Adjust your thermostat. Keep your thermostat at about 55 degrees or so to prevent pipes from freezing. Don’t turn it off completely!
2. Button down. Close shutters and install storm windows if you have them.
3. Unplug appliances. Power outages happen in winter – and restoring power after an outage can sometimes lead to a surge that can fry appliance and even create a fire risk. Unplug your appliances and you’ll avoid this problem – plus, you’ll save money by avoiding power usage by your home’s “energy vampires” (appliances that draw current simply by being plugged in).
4. Turn off the water main. Your pipes won’t freeze if there’s no water in them. Open up all your faucets to prevent pressure buildup from the little bit of water that remains in your pipes.
5. Let us know! If you’re an Auto Delivery customer, let us know that you’ll be away and we’ll adjust your delivery schedule accordingly. Not an Auto Delivery customer? Why not sign up before you leave?

Enjoy a worry-free winter – or winter getaway – with services from Fredericks! Contact us today to learn more.