Has the weather in the UK of late got you dreaming of escaping to your home from home across the channel? We don’t blame you. However, if you’re thinking of a last minute trip, there are some important things to prepare for which you may not have considered in your excitement!
First off, as soon as you arrive at your holiday home, check your water supply, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, etc are all in working order. If there is an issue with any of these utilities, you will want to know sooner rather than later, in case you need someone out to help you get things back up and running! Don’t forget to check your smoke & carbon monoxide alarms are working and don’t need new batteries, too!
It’s recommended to run the water in each tap for a few minutes before using it, and if you have a water tank in your property, ensure this is drained and refilled as the water could be stale, depending on how long your property has been vacant for. Unpleasant as the thought may be, if you do have a water tank, it might also be worth taking a peek inside to make sure nothing unpleasant is in there… It’s also worth checking your drainpipes for any blockages, and so on.
Once you’ve got all the essentials checked over, make sure you look over your property inside and out for any signs of damage, such as leaks, cracks, mould, or any unwanted visitors… be particularly careful to check for wasp nests before opening windows. Hopefully, the worst thing you might have to face is a bit of mould or mildew. You might suspect this before you see it, if a musty smell lingers despite having aired the property and after giving it a good clean with antibacterial products and natural odour-busters like vinegar and baking soda.
If this is the case, try and work out which room(s) of the house the musty smell seems to be coming from and close the door to contain the smell. Before you do anything, check what type of mould or mildew you are likely dealing with, as some types are more dangerous than others. If you’re unsure whether it’s safe to tackle yourself while wearing protective clothing, or the problem is widespread, it could be worth getting a professional in to help – this will be the safest option, and you’ll likely save yourself a great deal of the time, both then and there and in future by limiting the chance of regrowth. To help prevent mould or mildew building up in future, it could be worth investing in dehumidifiers for the rooms most at risk.
As with most things, prevention is better than cure. For a whole host of reasons, in addition to the tips above, our friends at Burke Bros Moving Group highly recommend storing your household effects when you know a property will be empty for a period of time; they offer both containerised storage (for longer-term storage, perfect for example if you’re redecorating) and self- access storage (ideal for short-term storage of items you may wish to access regularly).
For obvious reasons, home insurers offer the same advice – particularly if you have high value items in your property, or a large number of soft furnishings or clothes which are particularly susceptible to damage from mould and mildew in a house. While we’re on the subject of insurance, did you know that a standard home insurance policy is unlikely to provide you with the right level of cover required for a second / third / fourth home? If your property is set to be vacant for extended periods of time, you will more than likely need to consider unoccupied home insurance if you haven’t already.
Leave a comment below if you’d like to read more about any of the above topics – we’re always keen to give our readers what they need!
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