Can’t wait to get away for summer vacation? We understand, but take your time and be sure you’ve made that all-important list for your house or pet sitter before you go.
You can’t expect your sitter to know how things should run unless you share the information, and there’s no better way to get your point across than by writing it down in the form of explicit instructions. Explain about alarms; bringing in the mail, packages, and newspapers; monitoring the sprinkler system; and making sure timed lighting comes on every night.
And don’t forget to include some instructions regarding the use of the HVAC system on your sitter checklist. Some suggestions follow.
Monitoring the A/C
In our climate, don’t even think about leaving home without the A/C on. Even if you don’t have pets, you can cause major damage to plants and electronics if it gets too hot in your home. So turn the thermostat up a few degrees, but by all means, leave the A/C on. This will also make it more comfortable if you have a drop-in sitter.
Be sure the sitter understands how to operate the air conditioner. Go over the controls, and explain how the thermostat works — particularly how to change the temperature setting if need be. Also, explain what to look for as signs of HVAC malfunction, such as these:
- Dripping sounds that indicate a clogged condensate drain. You don’t want to come back to a flooded home.
- A/C fails to cool home.
- Knocking noises in the outdoor or indoor unit.
If any of these issues occurs, the sitter should know what you want to do — whether it is to contact you so you can make arrangements for repairs, or if you’re out of reach, the name of your HVAC consultant. You may want to contact your company ahead of time and explain that the sitter is authorized to notify them in case of malfunction, and to let the technician in for repairs.
For more on creating a sitter checklist that highlights monitoring the air conditioner, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
