You’ve packed your bags, booked your flights, and printed your itinerary. But have you thought about what’s happening inside your home while you’re gone?
Most homeowners lock the front door, set the alarm, and call it done. But your appliances keep running — or sit idle in ways that can lead to real problems — whether you’re gone for a long weekend or three weeks.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, burst pipes and water damage from appliance failures are among the most common causes of home insurance claims for unoccupied homes. And the National Fire Protection Association lists unattended appliances as a leading cause of house fires.
The good news: a simple pre-vacation appliance checklist takes less than 30 minutes and can save you from returning to a flooded kitchen, a sky-high energy bill, or worse. Here’s exactly what to do before you head out.
Why This Actually Matters More Than You Think
An empty house is not a static house. Here’s what can go wrong while you’re sipping drinks on a beach somewhere:
• A washing machine hose can burst and flood your laundry room — and possibly the floors below it — with nobody home to catch it.
• A refrigerator ice maker with a stuck inlet valve can overflow, causing water damage inside the freezer and under the unit.
• A water heater left on full blast for two weeks heats water nobody is using — wasting energy and adding to your PG&E bill.
• A small appliance left plugged in can be a fire hazard if an electrical fault occurs while no one is home.
• HVAC left running at full comfort settings wastes hundreds of dollars heating or cooling an empty house.
None of these are rare or far-fetched scenarios. They happen to homeowners across the Bay Area every year. The fix? A 30-minute walkthrough before you leave.
The Complete Pre-Vacation Appliance Checklist
Kitchen
Refrigerator
Your fridge should stay on — turning it off and emptying it completely is only worth it for trips longer than 4–5 weeks. For most vacations, simply:
• Clear out anything that will expire while you’re away — produce, leftovers, open dairy
• Set the fridge to its recommended temperature (37°F) and freezer to 0°F — don’t go warmer thinking you’ll save energy; food safety requires maintaining these temps
• If your fridge has an ice maker, consider shutting off the water supply line to it — especially if you’ve had any previous ice maker issues. The shut-off valve is typically located behind or beneath the fridge
• Leave a few inches of space between items to allow airflow — an overstuffed fridge works harder
Dishwasher
Run a full cycle before you leave so no dirty dishes sit for days growing bacteria and odor. Once the cycle is complete, open the door slightly to allow moisture to escape and prevent mildew buildup inside. If you’ll be gone for more than a week, close the water supply valve to the dishwasher as a precaution against hose failure.
Oven & Range
This one seems obvious, but double-check it — every time. Turn the oven and all burners off, and physically confirm the knobs are in the OFF position before leaving. If you have a gas range, this is especially important.
For extra peace of mind on a longer trip: unplug any countertop appliances like toasters, coffee makers, air fryers, and electric kettles. These draw standby power even when off, and a fault in any of them while you’re away creates an unnecessary fire risk.
Laundry Room
Washing Machine
Washing machine hoses are one of the most overlooked home disaster risks. A braided stainless hose under pressure can fail without warning — and when it does, it can dump hundreds of gallons of water into your home in a matter of hours.
• Turn off the water supply valves to the washing machine — there are two valves (hot and cold) behind or beside the machine. This single step eliminates the biggest water damage risk in your laundry room
• Leave the washing machine door or lid open to prevent mildew and odor from developing in the drum
• Don’t leave wet laundry in the machine — it will mildew within 24 hours
Dryer
Clean the lint trap before you leave — a clogged lint trap is one of the leading causes of dryer fires. Beyond that, no special action is needed for short trips. For longer absences, make sure the dryer is completely empty and the door is slightly ajar.
HVAC System & Thermostat
This is one of the biggest energy-saving opportunities during a vacation. Heating or cooling an empty house to full comfort temperatures wastes significant money. Here’s the right approach for San Jose’s climate:
• Summer vacation: Set the thermostat to 85°F. This keeps the interior from becoming dangerously hot (which can damage electronics, wooden furniture, and anything heat-sensitive) without running the AC constantly
• Winter vacation: Set the thermostat to 55°F. This prevents any risk of pipes freezing while keeping heating costs minimal
• Smart thermostat users: Use your thermostat’s vacation or away mode if it has one — or set a schedule to bring the temperature back to normal an hour before you return home
Also check that your HVAC air filter is clean before you leave. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and can cause it to overheat or malfunction. If it’s been more than 90 days since the last change, replace it now.
Water Heater
Your water heater continuously heats and reheats water to maintain a set temperature — even when nobody is home to use it. For any trip longer than 3–4 days, switching it to vacation mode (or lowering the temperature to 50°F) can meaningfully reduce energy costs.
• Tank water heaters: Most have a “Vacation” setting on the dial, which maintains a minimal temperature (usually 50°F) to prevent sediment issues without wasting energy on full heating
• Tankless water heaters: These only heat water on demand, so there’s little to do — just ensure the unit is operating normally before you leave
The One Thing Most Homeowners Forget: The Main Water Shutoff
For trips of a week or longer, the single most protective step you can take is shutting off the main water supply to your home. This eliminates virtually all water damage risk from appliance hose failures, pipe leaks, or plumbing problems.
The main shutoff valve is typically located near where the water line enters the home — often in a utility closet, garage, or near the water meter outside. Turning it off takes about 5 seconds and protects your entire home.
Important: If you shut off the main water supply, make sure to also switch your water heater to vacation mode or turn it off entirely. A tank water heater left on with no incoming water supply can overheat and fail.
A Note for San Jose Homeowners: Hard Water & Long Absences
San Jose’s hard water is hard on appliances year-round, but sitting water left in pipes, hoses, and appliances during a long absence can accelerate mineral scale buildup. When you return from vacation:
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine through a short cycle to flush fresh water through the lines
• Run the ice maker through a full cycle and discard the first batch of ice produced after a long absence
• Let the water heater run through a complete heating cycle before using hot water heavily
Your Quick Pre-Vacation Checklist (Print This Out)
Kitchen:
• Clear out perishables from the fridge
• Shut off ice maker water supply line
• Run dishwasher, leave door cracked open
• Confirm oven and all burners are OFF
• Unplug countertop appliances (toaster, coffee maker, air fryer)
Laundry Room:
• Turn off washing machine water supply valves
• Leave washer door/lid open
• Clean dryer lint trap
HVAC & Water Heater:
• Set thermostat to vacation temp (85°F summer / 55°F winter)
• Check / replace HVAC air filter
• Set water heater to vacation mode or 50°F
Whole Home:
• Shut off main water supply (for trips of 1 week+)
Book a Pre-Vacation Appliance Check Before You Leave
If you’ve noticed any appliance acting up — a fridge that’s been running louder than usual, a washing machine hose that looks worn, a water heater that’s been slower to heat — don’t leave for vacation without having it checked.
A small problem you’ve been ignoring becomes a major disaster when nobody is home to catch it. At Agile Appliance Repair, we offer pre-vacation appliance inspections so San Jose homeowners can travel with genuine peace of mind.
✈️ Heading out soon? Let’s make sure your home is ready.
Book a pre-vacation appliance check with Agile Appliance Repair today. We’ll inspect your key appliances, flag any concerns, and give you the peace of mind to actually enjoy your trip.
Call us at (650) 625-7475 or Book Online Here
