Planning a much-needed vacation? You’ve got your tickets bought, arrangements made, now it’s time to think about how to secure your home while you’re away.
How to prepare your home before you leave
Being prepared before you leave for a trip will help protect your home while you are away and offer you much needed peace of mind.
From break ins to plumbing, there is no shortage of things to worry about. Thankfully, there are many precautions you can take to ensure the safety of your home. Here are several items to consider:
- Leave your emergency contact information with a trusted neighbor and make sure they have a spare key and/or garage door opener for emergencies.
- If you are uncomfortable sharing your house key, consider adding smart locks to your entry doors.
- Install a home security system, alarm system and/or security camera. Consider multiple security cameras for all locations an intruder could gain entry to your home.
- Make sure your home security systems are operating and set. Contact your security company to make sure everything is in working order.
- Lock your front door and sliding doors, secure all entry points and make sure you have all of your first-floor windows locked. Consider adding sensors to any sliding glass doors and windows for additional home security.
- Set up automatic outdoor lights to turn on at night.
- Put all important documents and money in a safe or lockbox.
- Make sure you set your thermostat to keep your pipes from freezing in the winter.
- Contact your post office and put a pause on your mail deliveries.
- If you have recently noticed any suspicious activity in your neighborhood or if there has been a recent break in, let your local police department know that you will be away.
In addition to the recommendations outlined above, consider these additional tips to help keep your mind at ease.
Don’t share your trip on social media
We all love to share our excitement for an upcoming getaway, but don’t overshare that you will be out of town, especially on social media. Don’t post information about your trip, the dates you will be away or share photos until you have returned from vacation.
Take photos of your home
In all the hustle to get out the door, it can often feel like you forgot something. Here’s a simple trick to put your mind at ease; take photos of everything that you are worried you may forget. For example, a photo of the stove turned off and another of the garage closed. This way you have photographic proof that you did indeed remember to take care of these items.
Check your homeowners insurance policy
Once your next trip is planned, take the opportunity to review your homeowners insurance policy. Make sure your policy is current and review your coverages. You may also want to take the time to update your home inventory list.
Print out a checklist
The best way to ensure you don’t miss anything important before your trip is to print out a checklist to complete before you leave. Brooks, Todd & McNeil has a downloadable version here for your convenience.
Talk to a Brooks, Todd & McNeil agent
If you review your homeowners insurance policy and have concerns about your coverage, contact a Brooks, Todd & McNeil agent to discuss adding or adjusting coverage to meet your needs before your next trip.