Vacation Home Checklist: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go

If you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time, it is important to insure your home. You will not be able to enjoy your family vacation, focus on the business meeting, or feel relaxed while visiting relatives, if the idea of ​​your home being violated is always in the back of your mind. There are many things you can do before you leave, as well as things you may have arranged for a third party to do, that will ensure that your home, property, and pets are safe.

The most important concern for a homeowner is that their home does not appear empty while they are away.
Statistics report that typically one house is burglarized every 12
seconds. It is important that you leave the curtains open when
you go. Closed curtains indicate an empty house. You can also buy light timers. They will turn different lights on and off in your home throughout the day until you return from your trip. Investing in outdoor motion sensor lights is also good. For added protection, you may want to keep a radio on somewhere in the main part of the house. The volume doesn’t need to be very loud, just loud enough to fool an intruder. It is also good to have an alarm system. Make sure it’s on when you go out.

Do not leave house keys under rocks or planters around your
home. Make sure everyone leaves before your departure.
Never leave a message on your phone that you are absent. That is to say
just asking for an intruder.

You should also be aware that your lawn can also give signals
that you are far away and your house is empty. If you go
During the warmer months, mow your lawn before your departure. Arrange ahead of time for someone to come cut your lawn while you are away too. It’s also good to cut down plants or shrubs that could provide a good place for an intruder to hide or hide behind. If you live in a cold climate and it is winter, be sure to arrange for someone you trust to come and shovel the snow while you are away. Nothing gives a clue that no one is home more than a driveway and sidewalk piled up under 6 feet of snow. If it is pool season, arrange for someone to clean your pool while you are away.

Make sure all work buildings or outside sheds are locked.
Lawnmowers, bicycles, and tools must be secured inside. Is
important that you do not leave the garage door opener inside
any vehicle left in the driveway. You can even
Arrange for someone to move your vehicles periodically in the driveway to give your home the look of life. Check all windows before leaving, as well as exterior doors. Door latches and keyed window locks are the safest. Just be sure to remove the keys from the window locks before your trip. Do not forget your skylights, or the small skylights that may be in your bathroom. If an area is small enough for a head to pass through, it must have a padlock.

You should contact your local post office and keep all mail there until your return. Also cancel all newspaper subscriptions. This is not an uncommon practice, and it will ensure you don’t have papers piled up on your walk or mail spilled out of your box. That is an open invitation to an intruder.

It is also important that you be careful during an informal conversation with the store clerk, the dry cleaner, the clubs,
etc. Don’t let anyone in the general public know that you are
planning a trip. You never know who may be listening. Is
It is also important that you do not include your address in your luggage. You would be surprised how many houses are burglarized because a would-be thief saw your address in your luggage at the airport. They just follow him to the gate and ransack his house that night.

You can contact your local law enforcement office and let them
know that you are going to be absent. Give them the dates of when you will be leaving and when you will return. They will provide a patrol unit to stop by your house every day and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. If you
the neighborhood has a neighborhood watch program has your home
listed as one of the houses that needs to be watched.

It is also a good idea to take an inventory of your valuables, with serial numbers and model numbers when possible. This
The information is helpful if you ever have to submit insurance.
Claim for theft.

It is important that you make the proper arrangements regarding any pets you may have. You can approach them in a shelter, if necessary, although the comfort and care of your pet should always be considered. It will be unsettling for your pet to be separated from you, make sure their temporary home is as loving and comfortable as possible. No family pet should be kept in a cage for an extended period of time. Make sure you leave your pet with someone who is an animal lover and is not in the business of raising dogs out of greed. You should never forget the goldfish in the tank or the plants in your home. It would be sad to come home to a floating fish and dead houseplants. You may want to pre-arrange for someone to come into your home and take care of these other special family members.

Before leaving, it is important that you stop by
refrigerator and discard any product that has gone bad
Before you come home You should reduce the temperature of the water heater to a lower temperature, as well as the
thermostat on any central heating and air unit you may have.
Make sure all outside water hoses are disconnected if it is the winter season, this will help prevent the pipes from bursting in extremely cold weather. It is also important that you check all smoke detectors to verify that they are working properly.

An option that you may want to check and that will provide you
tranquility is a house keeper. This is a person who comes in and takes care of all the things mentioned above and stays at your home while you are away. Your pets will be able to stay in their own environment, the plants will be watered, the pool will be cleaned, the mail will be checked, the grass will be mowed, etc. The house keeper’s voice will be heard at the end of the phone line when a would-be burglar calls to check if someone is home. You will be the house keeper who you see coming and going from your house on a regular basis if your house is under surveillance by a future burglar. The presence of the house keeper is the main deterrent against burglars.

A home caregiver can also provide invaluable services such as
forward faxes to you if you run a home business and need to resolve an urgent matter. They can also provide immediate care to your home in an emergency.

Home sitters are the best thing to do with your pets. They can bring their furry friends to their scheduled checkups and treat them if they get sick or hurt. They can also bathe, feed, and love them until you get home. You can also leave a shopping list with your house keeper. When you return home, you will have a pantry and refrigerator full of food, and you won’t have to worry about that dreaded chore when you return. A house keeper can also be in charge of performing any necessary prearranged services on your vehicles, or at your home, while you are away. Above all, the main service a home sitter offers is that you can call home and see how you are doing.

There is no greater feeling than having peace of mind and being able to enjoy your time away from home. The only feeling that can match that is coming home to discover that your home is still intact, that your pets are fine, and that the valuable is where you left them. You cannot leave the house without someone watching your home. Gone is the day when everyone left the front doors open. Make sure you do everything you can to ensure that your home, pets, and possessions are well protected during your absence.