Nothing beats the feeling of packing up and heading out the door for a long-anticipated vacation. Before you leave town, however, there are a host of preparations that must be tended to, from organizing the clothes you’ll need to bring to arranging care for your pets. Did you know, however, that there are essential steps you should take to prepare your home for being left unattended? Not doing so could result in coming home to a disaster and the expenses that come with it. Denver-area home-service company High 5 Plumbing, Heating & Cooling offers the following tips to make sure your home is properly prepped for your absence:

Service your HVAC unit.

One of the best ways to ensure your HVAC unit is running at maximum capacity is to schedule a preventative maintenance inspection. Servicing your unit will help guarantee your system doesn’t break down upon returning home.

Check for leaks.

Leaks can not only increase your utility bill, they can also cause water damage that can be costly to repair. Be sure to check the toilet, faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for leaks. It’s important to also check for pooling water around your water heater or moisture on walls near water sources. If a leak is discovered, contact a professional to have it repaired before leaving on vacation.

Adjust the thermostat.

When the home is empty, there is no reason to have the A/C running all day. Raising the temperature on the thermostat can help prevent the A/C from running unnecessarily—but do not raise it higher than 85 degrees. This can cause your system to use more energy to cool the house down when you return. If homeowners have programmable thermostats, switch them to vacation mode to improve efficiency. In addition to taking precautionary measures to keep your home’s appliances and plumbing in good working order while away, be sure to also take measures to safeguard your home from criminals looking to take advantage of your absence:

Enlist a neighbor to collect your mail.

 An over-stuffed mailbox or newspapers piling up at the bottom of your driveway are telltale signs that you’re away. Be sure to have someone drop by while you’re out of town to collect mail and packages, or ask the post office to hold deliveries until you’re back in town.

Leave a light on.

Be sure to leave on a couple of lights so your home is not completely dark while you’re away. Even better, put lights on a timer or install a smart-home device that lets you turn them on and off randomly from out of town.

Install cameras.

Motion-activated cameras at your front and back door or any other area that provides easy access to your home are one of the best crime deterrents. Smart-phone applications can send you notifications whenever someone is spotted on your premises, allowing you to notify law enforcement professionals on the spot. Taking even just a few of the above precautions can protect your home and save you a world of worry so that you can truly unwind while on vacation.