6 Tips to Safeguard Your Home While Away on Summer Vacation

June 7, 2023 by Anas Mustafa

You work hard all year round and that summer vacation is getting closer and closer. As you plan what excursions to do while away, ensure you carry out some basic maintenance on your home before you leave.

A house that looks locked up and vacant is like a beacon to potential criminals. In fact, going away on vacation is prime time for someone to break in or for other unfortunate things to happen in the home, making your holiday a lot more expensive than it needed to be.

Here, we will review some quick and easy ways to make sure that your home is protected and safe, leaving you to enjoy your well-deserved holiday.

1. Talk to your neighbours

The phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” is one that many adults have heard, and it applies to many different scenarios, too.

Looking after your home while you are away is one of those scenarios. Talk to your neighbours or a friend who lives nearby, and ask them to check in on your home every few days.

Ask them to take out your garbage or maybe to mow your lawn, trim shrubs, and water the plants if you are gone for any considerable length of time.

2. Appearances can be deceiving

An obviously unoccupied home will be a bigger target. Creating the illusion that your home still has life inside will help deter this.

With smart home systems, you can utilize timers for your lights and program them to go on and off at different times. You can also have your smart home system play music or turn on the TV in the evening to give the impression that someone is home.

When it comes to the “window dressing” of your home, try to keep your curtains all the same—not fully closed, but naturally open. Fully closed curtains during the day imply you are not there.

Place a temporary hold on your mail. If you have a mailbox at the end of your driveway or packages arriving by the front door, a build-up will show you are not there. This can result in stolen mail and deliveries and your home being targeted for a break-in.

2. Hire a house sitter

For any extended period of travel, hiring a house sitter would be a good option. The benefits of having someone stay in your home far outweigh the stress and financial issues that come with a break-in or property damage.

A house sitter not only shows that the home is occupied, but they can make sure that things like water pipes freezing and bursting are prevented in the winter or plants don’t die in the summer heat with regular watering. They can also watch over any pets you may have that are not going with you.

Additionally, someone staying in your home negates the need to leave a spare key outside. While this is generally not recommended anyway, having someone stay at home removes that need completely.

4. Protection on the inside

There are things that can happen at any time, despite measures taken to prevent them. When you are away and they happen, however, this can lead to a stressful and expensive return.

Before travelling, turn off the water and unplug any electrical items. This helps to prevent water leaks, damage, and electrical fires.

With no one in the home, these items will not be used or needed. Therefore, shutting them off and unplugging them protects you and keeps your utility bill from unexpected hikes.

5. Protection on the outside

Your home insurance policy should always be up to date and renewed, but it’s worth checking again when you are going away. Call your insurance company to check this and let them know you will be away if something does happen.

Lock up any valuables that you are leaving behind. Cash and jewellery are the most sought-after items and are the first things targeted. While larger items, such as home theatres and computer systems, are usually thought of as the first to get stolen, thieves need to get in and out quickly, so typically, it’s the small things that go first.

With an estimated 28.9% of items being recovered following home invasions over the course of the last few years across Canada, it’s worth securing all valuables as much as possible.

6. Invest in a home alarm system

While ensuring that you unplug electrical items and shut off the water, hiring a house sitter, or asking a neighbour to mow your lawn are all great ways of making the home safe, investing in a home alarm system is the best approach.

Investing in a comprehensive system, or even just upgrading what you already have, will provide the most effective first line of defence against home invaders.

From simple alarms and detectors to a wide range of sensors, cameras, and smart devices, there is the perfect system out there that you can customize to your needs and budget.

Smart locks can be programmed to automatically lock doors. Access codes allow only authorized people to enter. Colour and night vision cameras provide extra eyes to watch over your home, and sensors can detect window breaks or doors being forced open.

This investment is not only great for when you go on vacation but in general everyday life as well. With the ability to monitor your home from wherever you are, check in on elderly relatives staying with you, keeping an eye on small children with the babysitter, and even chat with a delivery driver through your doorbell camera, your home will be safe and it will give you peace of mind.

Leave Your Worries Behind

Reach out to the experts at Canadian Security Professionals to help you make the right investment and secure your home. To get a free quote, call us at 1-877-494-9911 or contact us here and enjoy your holiday worry-free.

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