Reach for the “off switch”

How to have a stress free vacation

Hit movie Home Alone made waves about hapless holiday makers leaving their child behind. But in the real world, what gadgets are most likely to have been left on in the home when people head abroad?

The holiday car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have researched online for the most likely items in the home to be left on and come up with a checklist of things that need to be turned off before leaving the house. As well as saving vital energy and reducing the risk of accidents in your absence, these top tips will also help people save money during the current cost of living crisis.

A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “There is so much to think about when you are preparing for a holiday, in terms of packing the right things and remembering your passport. the house before you leave to ensure everything that needs to be switched or turned off is done so.

“No-one wants to return to an easily preventable flood or higher energy bill than necessary when you have not been in the home for two weeks. Our checklist should help guide holiday makers on what to do.”

The experts at StressFreeCarRental.com say the following steps can identify fire risks, other potential hazards and energy draining sources. But they point out not everything can be turned off, citing burglar and intruder alarms which must be checked to see they are in good working order.

Here is StressFreeCarRental.com’s guide to what to switch off at home before you head off on your travels:

Chargers

Unplugging chargers is a good tactic as they draw power into their power supplies constantly, so you can make an energy and cost saving.

Lights

lights off, although weighing up if you will have a timer switch to factor in. Sometimes there are lights in the attic, garage or basement which are forgotten about and need to be turned off.

Modems and routers

By turning these off you can also prevent hackers from getting into your wifi as well as saving on power.

Heating

It’s a waste of money and energy to heat the house when you are away in the summer. Consider keeping the heating on very low if on holiday in the winter.

Kitchen appliances

Some of these are worth unplugging to save electricity and reduce the fire risk to your home. But not all - it would be unwise to turn off the fridge and freezer leaving you in a real mess on your return. Weigh up which appliances can safely be turned off.

Water

Locate the stopcock and turn off the water before leaving home on your holidays. It’s important as it will help prevent water leaks that can result in expensive floods and damage.