A few years ago we wrote an article about closing up a recreational home. One of the areas we covered was turning off the main gas valve. Our hope was to help prevent a fire or explosion associated with unattended flames left burning in a vacant home. Personally, we hate to leave home when an appliance is operating, gas or electric. Either one can cause a fire. In an unattended home, an appliance fire can render complete destruction before the fire department arrives.

One reader insisted that we had made recommendations that were dangerous to the average American. He said that according to statistics provided by the U.S. government many people are injured or killed restarting gas appliances and that it is safer to leave an appliance pilot light on when away. Our answer is simple. We don't agree. Leaving a home for an extended period of time, with a flame burning therein, is the wrong approach. What the public needs to know is that restarting a gas appliance must be approached with extreme caution.

Tip: Most utility companies will come out to turn the gas back on and relight pilots for you, free of charge.

Before leaving your home, be prepared to deal with quite a bit of pre-vacation preparation. Gas and electrical systems, the mail, water and the police must all be considered. There are some vacation basics that most of us are aware of, but they need to be reviewed now and again. First, don't make your absence obvious. Don't allow mail or newspapers to pile up on the front porch. And by all means, don't leave your garbage cans out for week. If your home has an alarm system be sure to activate it before you leave. If your alarm system is not monitored, ask a neighbor to call the police if the alarm sounds. Ask a trusted friend to keep an eye out for you. And before you walk out the door, be sure to make one final walk-through. Here are a few things to look for.

Gas Devices: Natural or propane gas appliances (and their pilot lights) pose danger. We suggest shutting the gas off at every appliance. If this isn't possible, your next best bet is to shut the gas off at the meter or supply tank. This is a great time to operate the valve and make sure that the proper wrench is in good condition. You can call it your annual gas-meter-wrench-emergency-shutdown practice run.

Electricity: The main breaker can't be disconnected if you expect to run your fridge and freezer, so other electrical and electronics equipment must be unplugged. Don't just turn the equipment off - unplug it. Small appliances, televisions and stereo equipment all can cause a fire if left connected. All it takes is one spark. Do you really want to leave the toaster plugged in that badly?

Water: A broken water pipe can cause thousands of dollars in damage by flooding the crawl space, basement and rooms of the home. One of the most effective means of preventing a flood is to turn off the main water source to the home. Be sure that turning off the water does not prevent your irrigation system from continued operation.

Tip if you're planning an irrigation system: An irrigation shutoff valve should always be located in the main water line BETWEEN the main shutoff valve at the house and the water source. This way the house water can be shut off without affecting the irrigation system.

Plants: Even if you create a map to your houseplants for a friend, invariably you will return home to find some dead foliage. Be smart. Don't leave a map. Instead, move all houseplants to one safe location. A bathtub or a sink works well. This way all your plants will be in one location and friends or family will not have to worry about where to water.

Garage door opener: Garage door openers still are a problem. A neighbor or a crook can accidentally open them with the right (or wrong) opener code. So, whatever you do, don't forget to unplug the opener motor for further protection against unauthorized or accidental opening of your garage.

Use this handy checklist with our best wishes for things to deal with before leaving for vacation:

-Shut off all gas appliances

-Disconnect all electrical and electronic appliances (stereo, toaster, radio, etc.)

-Turn off the water to the house

-Gather plants together for easy watering

-Contact the garbage company

-Contact the post office

-Contact the police

-Contact the burglar alarm monitoring company

-Ask a neighbor to call the police if your unmonitored alarm goes off

-Contact trusted friends who will keep watch while you are away