Sudden Home Emergency During Work Hours? Here’s How You Can Fix It
If you have a smart-home hookup to monitor your house for things that go wrong, or if a neighbor reports seeing an outside problem, you can be informed right away that action is needed. However, if you are at work, getting away to take care of a problem at home can be difficult. To be ready when an emergency happens during the work day, here are a few tips.
Hide a Spare Key
Avoid hiding a house key under the door mat on the porch. Everyone knows to look there first. However, you might try hiding a spare key in these locations that other homeowners have used and inform the repair person where to find it: Tape it to the bottom of a porch planter. Hammer a nail into the back side of the porch latticework and hang the key there. Use a lock box on a back door, side entry, or shed door.
Partner with a Relative or Neighbor
Ask a nearby relative to keep a spare key for your home if that person is likely to be available during your work schedule. You can also leave a key with a trustworthy neighbor who is home during the day, and then do the same for that person when you are available. The added plus is that a person can also accompany the repair technician into your home and lock up after the repair is done.
Have Experts’ Contact Info Handy
When a job involves making deliveries or sales calls, you might be able to dash home between delivery times or appointments to meet a service repair person at your house. You can also check with the technician to find a mutually convenient time as quickly as possible to meet and take care of the situation at home. Even if a repair person can’t make it to your home right away, he or she may be able to advise you on how to temporarily address the problem, like shutting off the main water valve in case of in-home flooding, so that the person with a spare key knows what to do until the repair technician arrives.
Keep Your Appliances Well Maintained
Take a proactive approach against emergency situations by having your home appliances maintained yearly and serviced when needed. Don’t put off a checkup or scheduled maintenance, especially for older appliances or those that are not working as they should. Don’t put off washer and dryer repair, for example, if you notice something wrong. Handle small repairs before they turn into big jobs or inconvenient emergencies.
Plan ahead to avoid or prevent household problems that can disrupt your work schedule.