Going on Vacation? How to Prep Your Appliances Before You Leave

Heading out of town? Whether it's a weekend getaway to Palm Springs or a two-week vacation abroad, taking 15 minutes to prep your appliances before you leave can prevent coming home to water damage, spoiled food, or an emergency repair bill. Here's the checklist I recommend to every homeowner I service across Southern California.

Refrigerator & Freezer

Short Trip (Under 1 Week)

• Remove perishables that will expire while you're gone
• Turn the ice maker OFF — ice sitting unused for days absorbs freezer odors and can clump
• Make sure nothing is blocking the air vents inside the fridge
• Keep the fridge running at normal settings — don't adjust the temperature

Extended Trip (Over 1 Week)

• Everything above, plus:
• Use up or donate perishable items before you leave
• Consider lowering the fridge temp by 1-2 degrees to compensate for reduced door openings (the fridge will actually run less since nobody's opening it)
• Place an open box of baking soda inside to absorb odors
• If leaving for 3+ weeks and you're comfortable emptying the fridge, you can unplug it entirely — but leave the doors propped open to prevent mold. Place towels under the fridge to catch defrost water.

Never unplug and leave the doors closed. This creates a sealed, moist environment that breeds mold and produces terrible odors that can be almost impossible to remove.

Washing Machine

This is the most important item on the list for preventing water damage:

• Turn off the water supply valves behind the washer — both hot and cold. A burst hose while you're away can flood your entire home. Insurance adjusters say burst washer hoses are the #1 cause of catastrophic water damage claims.
• Run the washer empty on a rinse cycle after turning off the valves to drain residual water from the hoses
• Leave the washer door/lid open to prevent mold and mildew buildup (especially important for front-loaders)
• Wipe down the door gasket (front-loaders) before leaving

Dishwasher

• Run an empty hot cycle before leaving to flush out standing water and food particles
• Leave the door slightly ajar (an inch) to allow air circulation and prevent mold/mildew
• If you're leaving for more than two weeks, turn off the water supply to the dishwasher at the shut-off valve under the sink

Oven & Range

• Make sure the oven is OFF and cool
• For gas ranges: no need to turn off the gas supply for short trips (the pilot light or electronic ignition is designed to run continuously). For extended trips (3+ weeks), consider turning off the gas supply valve behind the range.
• Clean any spills or food residue — old food in a warm oven attracts pests
• Don't leave anything stored in the oven (a common habit that creates a fire risk if someone else turns it on)

Garbage Disposal

• Run the disposal with cold water to clear any remaining food
• Grind a few ice cubes and a lemon wedge to clean the grinding chamber
• Pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar into the drain. Let it fizz for 10 minutes, then flush with hot water. This prevents odors from developing while you're away.
• Don't leave food in the disposal — it will decompose and create terrible smells. See our disposal troubleshooting guide if you have existing issues.

Dryer

• Clean the lint trap
• If you haven't cleaned the dryer vent recently, do it before leaving — a lint-clogged vent is a fire risk, and you don't want that risk while you're away
• Unplug the dryer if you're leaving for more than two weeks (optional but recommended for fire safety)

Water Heater

• For trips over a week, switch the water heater to "vacation" mode if it has one, or lower the temperature to the lowest setting. No point heating water nobody's using.
• This saves energy and reduces wear on the heating elements
• Gas water heaters can be set to "pilot" mode — the pilot light stays lit but the burner doesn't fire

General Home Checklist

• Turn off the main water supply if leaving for more than 2 weeks. This eliminates the risk of any water leak causing damage while you're gone. This is the single best thing you can do to protect your home.
• Set the thermostat: In SoCal summers, set the AC to 85°F — warm enough to save energy but cool enough to prevent heat damage to electronics and furniture. In winter, set to 55°F to prevent pipe issues (rare in SoCal but possible in mountain communities like Ojai or Acton).
• Unplug non-essential electronics: Reduces fire risk and saves on phantom power draw
• Don't leave dirty dishes: Pests are attracted to food residue — clean everything before leaving

Coming Home: What to Check

When you return from vacation:

1. Turn water supply back on and check for leaks at all connections
2. Turn the water heater back to normal
3. Check the fridge temperature — it should still be 37-38°F
4. Run water in all sinks and tubs for 30 seconds to flush the lines
5. Discard any ice that was sitting in the ice bin

If you come home to an appliance problem — a fridge that stopped cooling, a washer that leaked, or any other issue — TruePro offers same-day emergency repair across Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, Huntington Beach, and all of Southern California. Call us and we'll get you back to normal fast.