Home Safety While on Vacation

Don’t let the anticipation of a well-deserved vacation blind you to the risks of leaving your home unprotected. Go ahead and plan your holiday, but take precautions before you leave.

• Consider Hiring a House-or Pet-Sitter – The best way to make sure your house is safe while you’re gone is to have someone you trust still living in it.
• Hold Your Mail – When you’re leaving for more than a couple of days, call your local post office to stop mail delivery until you get back. They can hold mail from three to 30 days.
• Stop any Newspaper Delivery – Stopping the newspaper when you leave town for a while is an easy detail to forget and one that will make you a sure target.
• Keep Eyes on your Property – Because you can’t plan for every contingency, have someone in the area check your house periodically.
• Make Your Home Look Lived In – To help create the illusion that the residence is still occupied, invest in timers that turn on the interior lights for a few hours every evening.
• Keep the Landscape Trimmed – When things start to look overgrown and neglected, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that you’re not around.
• Don’t Project Your Moves – The less information you put out there, the less likely it is to reach the wrong ears and eyes.
• Turn Off all Electronics – Turning off your garage door is also an effective way to keep thieves from opening it with a universal remote.

 

 

A little extra vigilance will help keep your property and belongings safer while you’re gone — and will keep you from obsessing about security once you’re on the road to fun and adventure.