Vacationers Home Check-List: Everything You Should Know Before You Leave

If you are planning on being away from your home for an extended amount of time, it is important that you secure your home. You will not be able to enjoy your family vacation, concentrate on the business meeting, or feel relaxed while visiting relatives, if the thought of your home being violated is always in the back of your mind. There are many things that you can do before you leave, as well as things you can have arranged to be done by a third party, that will ensure that your home, property and pets are safe. The most important aspect an owner needs to be concerned with is that their home does not look vacant while they are away. Statistics report that generally a home is burglarized every 12 seconds. It is important that you leave your curtains open when you leave. Closed curtains indicate a vacant home. You can also purchase light timers. They will turn on and off different lights 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. As added protection, you may want to keep a radio on somewhere in the main part of the house. The volume need not be very loud, just loud enough to fool an intruder. It is also good to have an alarm system. Make sure that it is turned on when you leave. Do not leave house keys under rocks or flower boxes around your home. Make sure they are all removed prior to your departure. Never leave a message on your phone that you are away. That is just asking for an intruder. You need to also be aware that your lawn can also give signals that you are away and your home is vacant. If you are leaving during the warmer months, clip your lawn prior to your departure. Arrange in advance to have someone come and cut your lawn while you are away, as well. It is also good to cut back plants or shrubs that would provide a good place for an intruder to hide, or lurk behind. If you live in a cold climate and it is winter, be sure that you make arrangements to have someone you trust come and shovel the snow while you are away. Nothing gives a clue that no one is home more than a driveway and side walk that is piled under 6 feet of snow. If it is pool season arrange for someone to clean your pool while you are away. Make sure that all outside work buildings or sheds are locked. Mowers, bicycles, and tools need to be secured inside. It is important that you do not leave your garage door opener inside any vehicles that will be left on the driveway. You can even arrange to have someone move your vehicles around periodically in your driveway to give your home the lived in look. Check all windows prior to leaving, as well as outside doors. Dead bolts on the doors, and key locks for the windows are the safest. Just make sure that the keys are removed from the window locks before your trip. Do not forget your skylight windows, or the small fanlights that may be in your bathroom. If an area is small enough for a head to fit through, it needs to have a lock on it. You need to contact your local post office and have all mail kept there until your return. Cancel all newspaper subscriptions, as well. This is not an uncommon practice, and it will ensure that you don