Helpful Tips While Vacationing

Preparing for vacation? Here are a few tips to help keep one’s home secure.

Social Media

When preparing for vacation, you should avoid posting on social media about the dates of your absence, countdowns to departure, or photos while away. It’s advisable to wait until returning home to share such information publicly. Sharing this information on social media can inadvertently invite unwanted attention to one’s home and belongings.

Insurance Company

You should check with your insurance company to determine how frequently someone must check your premise while you are away. Typically, this involves someone checking the home at least once every 48 to 72 hours. If a house sitter is using the alarm system, it’s essential to keep a record on file as proof, in case the insurance company requests it.

Ask Neighbors to Help

It’s important for you to arrange for someone to pick up your mail and newspapers while you are away, preventing them from piling up or being left on the porch, which could indicate that the home is unoccupied. Additionally, ensuring that the driveway is shoveled or plowed, or the lawn is mowed if necessary, gives the impression that someone is present at the residence. Informing neighbors about the absence and any expected visitors during that time can also help maintain security.

Lockdown & Home Deterrents

To discourage hidden areas that may be accessed, you should keep shrubs low and illuminate areas around the exterior of your home. It’s important to ensure that all doors, windows, and other access points are locked securely. Additionally, utilizing timers on lights, installing motion sensor lights, or remotely controlling different lights via an app can help create the impression of occupancy while away.

Using video surveillance that alerts your phone when there is activity at your premise, is another option for you. A doorbell camera can also be useful if you are not home. You can still speak to someone at your door, and they won’t know where you’re answering them from.

Keep in Contact

You will need to provide contact information for the person you want to be notified in case of an alarm while you are away. This helps reduce the time the alarm station operator spends trying to reach a key holder.

Test & Maintaining Systems

It’s advisable to use the alarm system daily rather than waiting until leaving for vacation. This allows any issues to be addressed beforehand, providing peace of mind for both the you and the house sitter. Even if you’re only going to be away for a short period of time, it’s important to activate the alarm. Many break-ins occur while homeowners are briefly away, such as when running errands in town, as thieves monitor neighborhoods for such opportunities.

Limit Access

You should avoid hiding house keys. Utilizing a smart door lock eliminates the need for sharing keys, as each user can have their own code. Additionally, an app can be used to open the garage door or unlock a door for a service repairman without the need to leave work or interrupt the day.

Avoiding Environmental Hazards

It’s recommended to have a temperature sensor for freezing pipes or a water sensor for detecting burst water lines, hot water tank leaks, or toilet tank leaks. Dealing with these issues promptly is much easier when they have just occurred, rather than returning home after a two-week holiday. It’s important to inform your insurance company that you have a monitored alarm system and specify all the situations being monitored for, such as burglary, smoke/fire, water damage, carbon monoxide, freezing/temperature, panic buttons, etc. Depending on the insurance company, you may be eligible for a larger discount.