If you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time, it is important to insure your home. You won’t be able to enjoy your family vacation, focus on the business meeting, or feel relaxed while visiting relatives, if the thought that your home is being violated is always in the back of your mind. There are many things you can do before you leave, as well as things you can arrange to have a third party do, that will ensure your home, property, and pets are safe.
The most important thing a homeowner should be concerned about is that their home doesn’t appear unoccupied while they’re away.
Statistics report that a home is typically burglarized every 12
seconds. It is important that you leave the curtains open when
you go. Closed curtains indicate a vacant house. You can also buy light timers. They will turn different lights on and off in your home throughout the day until you return from your trip. It is also good to invest in motion sensor lights for the outside. For added protection, you may want to keep a radio on somewhere in the main part of the house. The volume does not need to be very loud, just loud enough to fool an intruder. It is also good to have an alarm system. Make sure it’s on when you leave.
Don’t leave house keys under rocks or flower beds around your
home. Be sure to remove them all before your departure.
Never leave a message on your phone that you’re out. That’s it
Just asking about an intruder.
You should also keep in mind that your lawn can also give signs
that he is far away and his house is empty. if you go
during warmer months, mow the lawn before you leave. Arrange ahead of time for someone to come and mow your lawn while you’re away, too. It’s also good to cut down plants or bushes that would provide a good place for an intruder to hide or lurk behind. If you live in a cold climate and it’s winter, be sure to arrange for someone you trust to come shovel the snow while you’re away. Nothing gives a clue that no one is home more than a driveway and sidewalk piled under 6 feet of snow. If it’s pool season, arrange for someone to clean your pool while you’re away.
Make sure all outside work buildings or sheds are closed.
Lawnmowers, bicycles, and tools must be secured indoors. This
important that you do not leave your garage door opener inside
any vehicle that will stay in the driveway. you can even
Arrange for someone to periodically move their vehicles into your driveway to give your home a lived-in look. Check all windows before you leave, as well as exterior doors. Door latches and keyed window locks are the most secure. Just be sure to remove the keys from the window locks before your trip. Do not forget your skylights, nor the small skylights that may be in your bathroom. If an area is small enough to fit a head, it should have a lock.
You should contact your local post office and have all mail held there until you return. Also cancel all newspaper subscriptions. This is not an uncommon practice and will ensure that you don’t get papers piling up on your walk or mail spilling out of your mailbox. That is an open invitation to an intruder.
It is also important that you be careful during casual conversation with the clerk at the store, dry cleaners, clubs,
etc. Do not let anyone in the general public know that you are
planning a trip. You never know who might be listening. This
It is also important that you do not include your address on your luggage. You’d be surprised how many houses are robbed because a would-be thief saw his address on his luggage at the airport. They just follow him to the gate and ransack his house that night.
You can contact your local law enforcement office and let them
knowing that you will be far away. Give them the dates of when you will leave and when you will return. They will provide a patrol unit to stop by your house every day and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. If you
the neighborhood has a neighborhood watch program have your house
listed as one of the houses that needs to be watched.
It’s a good idea to also take an inventory of your valuables, with serial numbers and model numbers where possible. East
the information is helpful if you ever have to file for insurance
claim for theft.
It is important that you make arrangements for any pets you may have. You can house them in a shelter, if necessary, although the comfort and care of your pet should always be kept in mind. It will be upsetting for your pet to be separated from you, so make sure your pet’s foster home is as loving and comfortable as possible. No family pet should be kept in a cage for an extended period of time. Be sure to leave your pet with someone who is an animal lover and isn’t in the kennel business out of greed. You should never forget the goldfish in the tank or the plants in your home. It would be sad to come home with a floating fish and dead plants. You may want to make advance arrangements for someone to come to your home to care for these other special family members.
Before leaving it is important that you go through the
refrigerator and discard any product that has spoiled.
before you come home. You should reduce the temperature of the water heater to a lower temperature, as well as the
thermostat on any central heat and air unit you may have.
Make sure all outside water hoses are disconnected if it’s the winter season, it will help prevent your pipes from bursting in extremely cold weather. It is also important that you check all smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly.
One option you might want to check out that will give you
peace of mind is a caretaker of the house. This is someone who comes in and takes care of all the things listed above and stays in your home while you’re away. Your pets will be able to stay in their own environment, plants will be watered, pool cleaned, mail checked, grass mowed, etc. The housekeeper’s voice will be heard at the end of the phone line when a would-be burglar calls to see if anyone is home. It will be the housekeeper who is seen coming and going from your home on a regular basis if your home is under surveillance for a would-be burglar. The presence of the house sitter is the number one deterrent against burglars.
A house sitter can also provide invaluable services such as
forward faxes to you if you have a home business and need to deal with an urgent matter. They can also provide immediate care to your home if there is ever an emergency.
House sitters are the best thing you can do for your pets. They can take your furry friends to their scheduled check-ups and care for them if they get sick or hurt. They can also bathe, feed and care for them until you get home. You can also leave a shopping list with your babysitter. When you get home, you’ll have a pantry and refrigerator stocked with groceries, and you won’t have to worry about that dreaded chore when you get back. A house sitter may also be in charge of performing any necessary pre-arranged services in your vehicles or at your home, while you are away. Above all, the main service a home sitter provides is that they can call home and see how your home is doing.
There is no greater feeling than having peace of mind and being able to enjoy your time away from home. The only feeling that can match that is coming home to find that your home is still intact, your pets are okay, and your valuables are where you left them. You can’t leave home without someone watching your home. Gone are the days when everyone left their doors unlocked. Be sure to do everything you can to make sure your home, pets, and belongings are well protected while you’re away.
