Before You Jet Off: Expert Tips to Protect Your Home While on Vacation

Getting ready for a vacation isn’t just about packing your suitcase—your apartment needs preparation too, or you might come back to an expensive disaster. Experts from the construction trading house Petrovich shared key reminders with Lenta.ru for anyone leaving home for an extended period.

The biggest risk? Flooding. Before you head out, shut off the main water supply entirely. Even slight pressure in an isolated system can burst old pipes or weak joints, warns Evgeny Fedorov, a training manager at Petrovich’s contact center. A faulty valve or tap at the entry point can let a pressure surge travel through to flexible hoses on mixers or filters, causing them to fail. The result: you could unknowingly flood several floors, leaving you with repair bills in the hundreds of thousands of rubles.

Unlike water pipes, your windows and ventilation need to breathe. Sealing them tight invites moisture and mold. Experts suggest leaving windows in a micro-ventilation mode, but first clean the drainage holes in the lower frame to prevent water buildup and rust. Also, empty any home humidifiers before leaving—stagnant water can turn moldy. Don’t overlook small repairs either: a dripping faucet, cracked sealant near the tub, or a sticking door latch can worsen while you’re away. A sagging door might even lock you out upon return. To avoid sewer odors, cap drains mechanically to keep the water seal in the siphon from drying out. Smart leak detectors paired with automatic shut-off systems are a solid investment, and smart plugs let you cut power to appliances remotely.

Finally, leave interior doors open to keep air circulating, and unplug your water heater. A little prep now saves big headaches later.