Whether traveling for business purposes or planning a vacation with the family, there are going to be times when you're away from home. No matter what the circumstance, there are certain precautions you must take to protect your home while you're gone.
After you book reservation online make a checklist of things to do before you leave. Even if you are a frequent traveler and know the whole process from hotel booking to home security, this list might give you some new ideas of what you can do to protect yourself from theft.
You might be excited for the week-long trip you've booked at one of the cheap hotels on the beach, but your vacation could cost you a lot more than you bargained for if you leave your home at risk.
1. Alert a trusted neighbor that you will be gone and for how long. Offer to let them park in your driveway, as a car in the driveway may deter a thief. If you do not have a neighbor you can trust, ask a close friend or relative to visit the home daily to make sure it is secure.
2. Ask a neighbor, friend or relative to pick up the mail and any newspapers-if these things are piling up outside of your home, it may be a hint that no one has been there. Provide a key and any access codes needed to check the house and place your mail and newspapers indoors.
3. Make sure that your insurance policy is in effect and paid up-to-date. Should something happen while you are gone, you may need the coverage and an oversight could cost you big-time.
4. Arrange care for your pets if you are not traveling with them. Boarding is safer than having someone come to your home, unless your trip is only for a few days. If you leave pets at home and have a pet sitter, do not turn off the water, air conditioning or heat. Have the pet sitter monitor the temperature in the home and adjust it as necessary to keep your pets comfortable.
5. Remove all trash and take it to the curb or dump. If the garbage collector doesn't come for a few days, ask your neighbor, friend or relative to pull the cans to the curb the day before and put them back after the pickup. If trashcans are on the street for days at a time, it might be a sign that no one is home.
6. Turn off or unplug all appliances with the exception of the refrigerator, unless it is empty. Some coffee makers have a heating element that keeps water hot, so that you can make coffee in a matter of seconds, but this heating element could cause a fire if it malfunctions when you are not home. Unplugging microwaves and toasters will not only prevent fire hazards, it will save energy as well. Also, flip off circuit breakers to the air conditioning, heat pump and water heater; these appliances use a lot of amperage and should a malfunction occur while you are gone, you could lose your home in an electrical fire.
7. Make sure to lock all doors and windows, including the door leading to the garage. Then double and triple-check. Wedge a 1-inch dowel or metal bar between the wall and the sliding glass door to prevent it from forcing open, should someone break the lock.
8. If you have a security alarm, provide the code to the person watching your house and teach them how to use it properly. In the event that there is an emergency or the alarm sounds, the security company will call the home and ask the person for an emergency code (different from alarm access code). If the person does not have the code, the alarm company will send officers to your home immediately. Before you leave for your vacation, alert the security company that you will be traveling and provide your friend's name and phone number along with your cell phone number or another place where they can reach you in the event of an emergency.
Once you've secured your home, you can rest easy and enjoy your vacation knowing that you've taken all necessary precautions. Sure, you won't be able to check in all the time, but when you're at your hotel in the morning or night, give your friend a call and check up on everything. Keeping yourself in-the-know can also provide some relief while you're away.
This guest post was written and provided by Erica Gustafson who takes many of these precautions when traveling to ensure her house and personal items are not disrupted while on traveling. Gustafson is a freelance writer and consultant for Expedia, which also provided the photo from xsu.hu.
