Winter Break Reminders
Happy Holidays! Whether you are going home for the holiday’s or taking a relaxing vacation, we want to make sure that you take the proper steps to keep your home and belongings safe while you are away. Below is a list of things you can do to help prepare your home for your absence.
● Set your thermostat to 65 degrees and ensure that it is set to AUTO and HEAT. DO NOT turn the furnace off. Bloomington winters can be harsh and temperatures turn quickly. If the furnace is turned on the pipes could freeze and cause damage.
● Open all cabinet doors to the plumbing below the sinks in the bathrooms and kitchens to prevent pipes from freezing. We also recommend leaving the bathroom doors open to help with heat circulation. You may consider keeping a drip in faucets that are placed on exterior walls to further protect from freezing.
● Make sure all hoses are disconnected from any outside faucets to prevent freezing/flooding.
● Most of the windows at our properties are double hung. This means that both the top sash and the bottom sash of the window can be moved. Make sure that windows are latched securely to help with heating cost and to protect your belongings.
● Make sure to double check all windows are securely closed- including the window located above the sink.
● Consider making records of the make, model, and serial number of your electronic devices. We recommend you take photos of the items and not an identifying features such as scratches or dents. Additionally, consider taking valuables home with you during the break.
● We suggest that you leave all interior doors unlocked. If someone does break into your house they will not hesitate to kick in an interior door. If this happens you are liable for the damages.
● Close all curtains and blinds so that TV’s, speakers, etc aren’t in plain sight.
● Leave an interior and an exterior light on to create the illusion that someone is home while you are away. You can easily purchase a timer to control a lamp inside the house so that the lights can turn on and off at an specific time.
● If you are leaving your vehicle, make sure that all valuables have been removed or are hidden from sight. This includes loose change.
● If you have a security system set up for your home you MUST provide us with the access code before you leave. This allows us to access the house to change furnace filters. A phone call would be the safest way to provide that code.
● Prior to leaving for break, ensure that all trash has been removed from the house and placed securely in your garbage bin outside. Make sure that trash and recycling bins have been pulled up next to the house to avoid citations from the city.
● We recommend walking around the exterior to pick up any trash that may be in the lawn and/or bushes. Our maintenance team will be checking on the properties over the course of the break. Any trash that they haul might result in a tenant charge against the security deposit.
● Make sure you have submitted any maintenance requests you have ONE WEEK before you leave. DO NOT wait until you leave town to submit those requests.