Summer is vacation season and you deserve to enjoy it. But there’s nothing worse than coming back home after a refreshing trip and realizing that something’s amiss. More than 70 percent of burglaries happen when the resident is not home.
Here are 10 ways to protect and generally take care of your home while you’re away.
Don’t Make it Obvious That You’re Away:
There are certain sure signs that are an indicator to burglars that you’ve been away for some period of time.
- If you still have a mailbox beside your door, make sure it doesn’t pile up. You can suspend your mail service with Canada Post. Ask a neighbour to round up any junk mail and community newspapers that accumulate over time.
- If you’re going away for an extended period, don’t forget about the exterior home maintenance that, if not done, will make it obvious there’s no one home. Ask a neighbour or a local neighbourhood teen to take care of your lawn, shrubs or flowers. Offer to pay them – it’s worth it for your home appearance, and to minimize work when you get home.
- If you plan on posting on your social media accounts about your forthcoming vacation, check your social media settings to make sure that they’re set to private.
- About 30% of burglars enter homes through unforced entry – that is, unlocked doors that they simply open and walk through. Don’t forget to secure entry points to your home that you don’t ordinarily think about. Ensure the garage is locked, if you have one. Don’t forget to lock all windows if you can.
- Consider installing timers on a few lights to give the illusion of activity in the home. And speaking of lighting, you might want to install a couple of motion sensor lights outside of the home, which can act as an excellent deterrent.
Other Preparations
- If you have an alarm system, obviously make sure you arm it. You might also want to let your monitoring company know that you’ll be away for the specific days.
- Consider turning your thermostat up to 27 degrees Celsius during the summer months, so the A/C won’t be kicking on unless it’s incredibly hot in your home.
- Unplug large and/or unnecessary appliances to save on energy.
Having the peace-of-mind when you travel that your home is safe and protected will help your vacation truly feel like some “time off” from your life. This summer, be sure that even if you’re not home, it looks like you are! P.S. Need travel insurance for your upcoming trip? Get in touch with your local insurance broker today!
