Ways to Protect Your Home While You’re on Vacation

While vacation is a time to relax, you need to do much more than pick up and leave.

You should prepare a few things ahead of time to make sure your house and belongings are safe. Only then can your vacation be worry-free.

To ensure your home remains disaster- and burglary-free while you're away, do the following before you leave.

Invest in a Monitored Security System

Your security system should be your home's first line of defense, whether you're home or away on vacation. Many options are available, so choose one that suits your home.

Security systems often include outdoor cameras, an alarm, automated lighting, and monitoring systems. A home security system can also include sensors on all entry doors and windows and motion sensors. 

Many homeowners choose smart security systems that allow them to monitor their properties remotely. But especially if you travel abroad or somewhere with unreliable data networks, phone alerts won't help. 

Monitored home security systems send a message to the alarm company when a breach occurs. The company will then contact the authorities on your behalf.

Installing an alarm system in your home can qualify you for an extra homeowners insurance discount.

Set Your Lights on a Timer

The lights in your home are one of the most obvious signs that the property is not empty. However, leaving the lights on during your absence can significantly increase your electric bill if you go away for several days or weeks. Leaving your lights on also poses a fire risk.

Therefore, connecting your lights to a timer is a great cost-effective option. Using timers, you can automatically turn your lights on and off at varied times every day or at the same time they typically would be if you were home. 

Additionally, you can place a few around your home on different floors so the house can appear occupied on both floors.

Have Someone Check In on Your Home

If you have a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor, ask them to watch over your house. The caretaker can check in regularly to ensure everything is in order. Give the person a spare key to check back doors, windows, and other entrances.

Permit the custodian to contact the authorities if they see anything suspicious on the property. For emergencies, give the custodian your vacation contact information.

In addition, while your caretaker checks things out, allow them to pick up your mail if your mail service hasn't paused it yet. A full mailbox or unattended package gives thieves a clear indication that no one is at home. 

In addition to ensuring that everything is safe in your home, having a custodian will also add motion and human presence.

Remove Your Spare Key

Perhaps you have devised an inventive way to hide your spare key that's not beneath a fake plastic rock or a flowerpot. A seasoned criminal will, however, probably search long and diligently to locate the key. 

Therefore, remove the key from your home before you depart so that thieves won't have an easy way to access your possessions.

Keep Your Vacation Plans Away From Social Media

The excitement of a vacation can tempt you to share details or images via social media. In posting that photo of the sunset at the beach, you also reveal to thieves that you are not home.

If possible, refrain from publicly sharing your trip details until you get home. If you can't resist, remove or disable geotagging from your social media posts and phone. In addition, ensure that your sharing settings are set to only friends or private.

Nobody wants to return from a beautiful vacation to find their house broken into. In the unfortunate case that you arrive home to losses, remain calm and patient throughout the process. As soon as you have finished handling any police reports, contact your insurance agent so that the claim process can begin.

Contact us today if you have any questions about home insurance.