Prep your home and your suitcase for holiday. How to avoid coming home from your well-earned break to a home disaster.

Why it’s important to put your home in holiday mode

We know that there can be a lot to think about before holiday, however taking some time to prepare your home for travel shouldn’t fall on the back burner. Many homeowners underestimate the risks of leaving a property unattended, with 52% having returned home to an unexpected house emergency, and BOXT claiming 18% of Brits needing an engineer or tradesperson within 72 hours.

These issues can crop up at any time and can cause serious issues year-round. Common consequences can be electrical or structural damages from leaky pipes, broken boilers, no hot water, spoiled food from broken fridges and even heating systems initiating during a heatwave.

Don’t be a part of the 32% of Brits who claim their holiday has been ruined by worrying about home maintenance, or coming home to a disaster. These post-holiday repairs are estimated to cost the nation £1.47 billion.

Below, are a few quick tips to protect your home before travelling. With summer on its way, it’s easy to forget the boiler and pipes. These tips could save you time, money and reduce anxiety before you travel. You don’t want to get to the point of needing something, like your heating or hot water, to find out it isn’t working.

How to prevent home damage while you’re away

· Check your boiler pressure before you go– this will give you an indication if your boiler is working as expected. If your boiler has low pressure, then that’s where issues can stem from, so it's always worth checking.  

· Prepare kitchen for pest control – ensure any crumbs are cleaned away and perishable food is dealt with. No one wants to return home with an ant infestation from their pre-holiday snack.

· Switch your boiler to holiday mode or adjust the timer (sometimes called away mode) – if you have an older boiler or a particularly cold house, even during the summer, it can be worth keeping your boiler ticking over in a low temperature mode to avoid parts from seizing up.

· Use smart tech to keep an eye on your home – use smart plugs, leak detectors, cameras and smart thermostats to control your house. Lights on in the evening will look like someone’s home and cameras, especially doorbell ones, can give the sense of presence even if no one is there, deterring burglars. Thermostats and leak detectors will help identify problems before you go away and give you peace of mind while you are away knowing you can check on your home whenever.

· Check water systems and turn off your water supply (stop tap) if you’re away for more than 3 days – giving a quick inspection under sinks and in lofts can help identify any small leaks. Turning off your stop tap will prevent bigger issues like flooding, damp and water damage. Remember to run your water for a few minutes when you turn your water back on, flushing out any trapped air or debris.

· Lock external doors and windows – it's easy to think your house will never be targeted, but it’s always worth locking or double-locking all windows and doors. Don’t assume just because they are closed, burglars won’t try to open them.

· Bleed radiators and test heating – this doesn’t just apply for going away, throughout summer you should check that your radiators and heating system is working, ready for when you need it during the colder months. This also means that should any issues arise it's usually quicker to get a call-out in the summer months than peak winter months. Whilst you’re at it, why not book a boiler service to get ahead of the autumn rush, and your system will be working before you head off anywhere.

· Switch off non-essential appliances – while switching your fridge off for a week isn’t the best idea, do you really need the TV, Kettle and microwave plugs on? Have a look around the house and see what you can switch off, not only will this save you some money on energy, but it will also massively reduce the risk of electrical fires while you are away.

· Consider letting your neighbours know you’re going away – neighbours can be a great source of gossip as well as protection, letting you know if there are any concerns in your absence. Added bonus, bins out past collection day is a tell tale sign a house is empty (or you just really like your bin there, we’re not judging) so you could always cheekily ask them to put your bins away too, making your house look more lived in.

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Do you want extra peace of mind? HomeServe can help.

Even with preparation, problems can still occur. Give yourself extra peace of mind while you’re away and enjoy your time off fully. If you are interested in safeguarding your home further, protect your plumbing and drainage with HomeServe today, for only 50p a month if you take out cover before 5^th July 2026.

Here at Anglian Water Direct, we help homeowners protect and improve their properties with practical, sustainable solutions. Make your home more efficient and resilient all year round.

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