Home Protection Tips While on Vacation

Vacationing is really exciting. Now that you’ve got all your flights and accommodations booked, and you’ve packed your bags, are you sure you’ve taken enough protective measures to protect your home while you’re away?

While you are on vacation, take a few extra safety precautions to ensure your house is secure and to enjoy your trip to the fullest extent.

Weather forecast

Don’t forget to check the weather forecast for where you live while you’re checking the forecast for your vacation destination. You should check the gutters in the event of a storm in order to avoid the basement flooding while you’re away. Check your sump pump if you typically flood your basement in bad weather. Before you leave, make sure it is working properly.

Don’t share on social media

As tempting as it is to post vacation photos and details on social media, we understand. Though the picture of the blue lagoon might make your friends jealous, you are also revealing to potential thieves that you are far away from home.

Be sure not to reveal any details about your trip to the public until you return. You may be able to live with it if you remove your geotags from social media posts via a metadata removal tool, or turn off your phone’s geotagging function.

Take advantage of your neighbors

Keep an eye on your house while you are away by letting your neighbor know that you will be gone. Please tell them to report anything suspicious or dangerous that they see taking place on the premises to the authorities. In worst-case scenarios, give them a backup key and your vacation contact information.

Disconnect all appliances

Avoid electrical fires or power surges by unplugging all unnecessary appliances and devices that do not require timers – such as TVs, coffee makers, lamps, etc. Additionally, make sure you have working smoke alarms, and keep a fire extinguisher on hand in case your housesitter needs to extinguish a fire.

Lock Up the Pool

Close the pool before you leave town to keep your kids and pets safe. Putting a cover on the pool is a better idea than locking the gate. Uninvited guests and unsightly debris will be kept out.

Lock up ladders and tools

Keep your home’s exterior well-kept, and make sure everything is tucked out of sight before you travel. Avoid having the house appear empty. As well as trying to enter your property via ladders, burglars can use other tools to break windows, pick locks, or gain entry in other illegal ways.

Beef up Your Security Systems

When you are going away, it might be a good idea to upgrade your home security system. To ensure burglars know your home is protected, you have to install the best cloud cam security camera outside or inside your home.

Remember to notify the alarm company of your departure if you have a monitored security system. If you have chosen a smart system. Determine how much coverage you have for your entire apartment or home. Also, identify a backup device that will allow you to view footage in case your smartphone fails.

Put a Pause on Your Mail Deliveries

Overfilled doormats are an indication that a property is vacant. If you don’t trust a friend or neighbor enough to handle your junk mail and letters while you are away, you can have them pop in.

Your mail carrier can also wait until you return before stopping to deliver mail. The USPS website allows you to fill out a short form online at home by simply visiting the website. You will be able to hold on to your mail until you return since they will stop it from being delivered to your address.

Turn off your garage door

The ability of technology to be hacked is well-known, especially to those who are highly motivated or experienced. You should be proactive about your garage door opener (depending on which brand it is). Consider disengaging the device and installing a manual lock.

Schedule regular cleanings

While you are away, you should ask your helpers to continue coming to the house. Even if you aren’t there, the gardener, pool guy, and cleaners should still arrive according to their regular schedule.

In general, you should feel comfortable with these providers being at your home. While you are away, but if you have any concerns, put them on hold instead of telling them you are going away.

Spare keys shouldn’t be left outside

You should never leave a spare key under the front door mat, beneath a rock, or any other place that has a reputation for being a hiding place. Having a spare key handy seems like a good idea in case of a lockout, but it’s also an invitation to a burglar to enter your house unimpeded.

If possible, leave a key with a nearby neighbor or friend who you trust. Alternatively, install a smart lock that’s controlled by an app.

Curtains are Important

No matter how strange it may sound, a burglar watching your home with the intent to gain entry will notice something about your curtains, blinds, and shutters.

It will give your house a locked-down look, which will scream “vacant” to any potential buyers if you normally leave your shutters half-open or blinds rolled up. Whenever possible, take care to position your curtains, shades, and shutters in a similar manner to how they usually are.

Hire a House Sitter

If leaving your house empty during your absence is truly a concern, consider hiring a house sitter. If you are looking for professional house sitting services, you may want to consider contacting a company or agency that offers these services. During their stay, your sitter can take care of your regular household duties, such as gardening, pet care, watering plants, taking care of the trash, and keeping your house occupied so that thieves won’t break-in.

Final Thoughts

Take the time to make sure your home is taken care of while you are away so that you can enjoy every second of your vacation. Taking a few simple precautions before you leave ensures that you will be able to come back to find your home as you left it. You may ask your neighbor to pick up your mail, or you may install a security system.