Tips for Protecting Your Home When on Vacation

Whether you're heading out of town for a weekend getaway or planning a two-week trip to an exotic resort, you'll want to leave your home well protected. This is the only way you'll be able to truly relax when you're on your vacation and you definitely deserve some time off from the stresses of life. Use the following tips to keep your home secure while you're away.

1. Have your mailbox emptied daily

Assign someone in the neighborhood the task of emptying your mailbox on a daily basis. It doesn't take long for flyers and other junk mail to accumulate in the box. A full mailbox is a sure indication that nobody is home to empty it.

2. Planning a longer trip? Get your grass mowed!

If you're planning to go away for a longer trip make sure that you have somebody scheduled to come in and mow your grass while you're gone. During the peak summer months grass can grow quickly in a week or two.

3. Purchase a light timer

You shouldn't be leaving all of the lights off and you shouldn't leave them on all the time either when you’re away. Leaving your lights on while you're out of town is a complete waste of energy and will also appear suspicious to anyone that may be watching your home. Light timers are cheap and easy to set up. The small cost may save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars!

4. Watch your posts on social media sites

If you've planned a trip to Hawaii for a week don't announce it to the world on your Facebook page. Don't tweet about your upcoming trip either. You can talk all you want about the trip once you've returned and can post all of the amazing pictures that you took. Until that time, however, only let your close family members and friends know that you're going away through emails, phone calls or text messages.

5. Unplug electrical devices

Protect your home from the risk of an electrical fire by unplugging your appliances and other devices such as TVs, stereos and computers. Not only will you save energy, since many appliances use up power when they're not turned on, but you’ll also protect them from any possible power surges.

6. Have a neighbour do a walk-around

Ask one of your neighbours to do a walk-around of your property both inside and out. If a water pipe decides to suddenly crack when you're gone, a break-in occurs or a storm cracks a tree trunk and sends it falling onto your roof top, you'll have someone on top of it right away.

7. Spare key in a hiding spot? Remove it!

If you have a spare key hiding under the mat at your front door make sure that you remove it before leaving for your vacation. If a thief is keeping his eyes on your home and believes that you may have left the home unoccupied, the first thing he's going to do is look for a spare key. No matter how well you think you have hidden it, remove it before you leave.