Protecting Your Home While You’re on Vacation
Returning from vacation generally isn’t fun in the first place, but imagine returning home to find your property broken into and your prized items damaged or stolen. Yet, for any homeowner who leaves for more than a few days, this scenario becomes a distinct possibility. As such, before you leave, make a plan to protect your property and ward off intruders with the following tips.
- Make It Seem Like You Never Left
The key to protecting your home is to make it seem like you’re still there. Unfortunately, only leaving the lights on can look suspicious. Instead, it’s recommended that you set your interior and exterior lights on an irregular timer, use a motion sensor or control them with a mobile app. This avoids anyone scoping out your house from identifying a pattern.
Additionally, continue with upkeep. Have a neighbor come over to collect your mail, clean up any leftover newspapers, mow and water your lawn. Also, if you were thinking about having some exterior work done, now is a good time to have the contractors come over. Just make sure to pay them ahead of time or have them mail an invoice, to avoid a notice being stuck to your door for several days.
- Conserve Water and Electricity
Burst pipes pose a hazard and, rather than finding a flood upon your return, have automatic leak detection and water shut-off systems installed. If you can’t get this done before you leave, shut off the main water valve and lower the water heater’s temperature to further reduce your heating bill. To prevent a power surge, unplug all electronics, including computers and TVs. Another reason to control your indoor and outdoor lights with a timer? Keeping them on can greatly increase your electric bill.
- Lock Your Doors
Even if you live in a safe neighborhood and do not regularly lock the door, check that every entrance is locked before you leave. Additionally, if your home has a garage, its contents are open to anyone who passes by unless all doors and windows are fully closed. In all instances, consider installing a heavy-duty deadbolt for extra protection.
- Remove Your Spare Keys
Do you keep a spare key inside a flower pot, under a rock or beneath the doormat? Someone who looks hard enough may find it and enter your home. Before you leave for vacation, take all spare keys inside and store them in a safe or another undetectable place.
- Avoid Posting About Your Trip on Social Media
Like many people in the 21st century, burglars are tech savvy. Thus, they’ll observe any social media accounts for signs a homeowner will be away. To avoid becoming a target, don’t talk about your vacations plans on your accounts before the trip and don’t post your photos until you return.
- Invest in a Security System
Whether you have an old-school camera and alarm system or are utilizing smart-home technology, a home without a security system is 2.7 times more likely to be broken into than one without this feature. Well in advance of your vacation, explore the best security systems for your home. To be extra safe, consider a system that can be monitored from your smartphone.
Once you have a system set up, make an emergency plan. Contact your alarm company to let them know you’ll be out of town and consider notifying your local police department and neighbors, in case they spot suspicious activity.
- Keep Your Valuables Hidden
Should someone manage to enter your home, protect your high-dollar items by hiding them in difficult-to-find places. Never leave valuables, such as art or electronics, by a window – even if it’s covered with a curtain. Also, if you have fine jewelry, store it in a safety deposit box or safe while you’re away.
The theft-prevention measures can assist in lowering your homeowners’ insurance rates. To discuss how you can improve your rates, give us a call at 203.439.2815.
