You’ve been planning a special getaway for months. Now you can hardly wait to get to your destination and let the vacationing begin.
Of course, there’s nothing worse than finding things have gone wrong on the home front while you were away. How can you safeguard your home and belongings so you’ll have the peace of mind to truly enjoy that holiday you spent so long planning? Here are 6 tips to follow before you jet off somewhere exotic.
1. Enlist your neighbours’ help. Of course, no one wants to put a burden on friends or family, but if you are reasonable in your requests (and come home bearing thank-you gifts), your neighbour may be delighted to help keep an eye on your property and keep your front door clear of sales flyers, deliveries or newspapers that find their way to the front steps.
2. Hire a trusted person to house or pet sit. If you are going to be gone a while and don’t want to inconvenience your friends with too many tasks while you’re away, consider investing in a good pet-sitting service, or ask a trusted friend or family member to stay in your home during your vacation.
3. Use caution on social networks. If you’re the type who loves to share every moment of your day online, be aware that not just friends may see your newsy posts. There are criminal elements online too, and if you constantly mention the fact that you’ll be out of town for the next month, you may get more attention than you bargained for. Use restraint in social media. Or be creative and continually mention that your best friend is staying in your place while you’re gone.
4. Use lighting timers rather than leaving lights on 24/7. Even if conventional wisdom suggests that “always leaving a light on” will deter prowlers from scoping out your property, it looks strange if lights never go off. Use a timer to automatically turn lights on and off. Criminals won’t be able to know for certain if an actual person turned off the lights. Your utilities bill will also reflect your conservation.
5. Stop all regular deliveries. True, you can’t keep all advertisements and papers from your doorstep while you’re away, but it certainly helps to put regular mail and newspaper deliveries on hiatus. Try to ensure that you’re not expecting any deliveries from FedEx or UPS too.
6. Winter proof your home and unplug high-power devices. It’s tough to keep pipes from freezing even when you stay at home during a Canadian winter. You need to be extra careful when you leave your home empty during the cold or stormy months. DO keep your heating system active and pipes well-insulated. Unplug any electronic device that would be damaged in the event of power surges or storms.
By following a few simple tips, you’ll return home from your vacation loaded only with mementos and memories – not worries. Ask SafeWorld® for even more tips to protect your home!
