Tips To Keep Your Home Safe While You Are Away On Vacation.

Introduction:

 

This week for our latest blog article we would like to give you some advice on how to keep you home safe while you are away or on vaction.  Since theft and vandlism is something that every home owner worries about while they are away we hope this article will be a useful tool in helping to keep you home safe while you are away.

 

Idea #1:  Suspend newspaper delivery and arrange for someone to pick up your mail, this will prevent mail or newspapers from stacking up, which gives aways that you are not home.

 

Idea #2:  Ensure all doors and windows are locked - for sliding glass doors, use locks specially designed to prevent the door from being lifted out of its track.

 

Home Window Lock

 

Idea #3: Use timers to turn lights, and possibly the TV or radio, on/off during the day and night.

 

 

Home Light Timer

 

Idea #4:   Have someone cut/water the lawn if you plan to be away for more than a week.

 

Idea #5:  Turn the volume down on the telephone so anyone outside can't hear it ringing for extended periods.

 

Idea #6:  Leave a generic message on your answering machine - never say that you are away on vaction.

 

Idea #7:  Secure all tools and ladders so they can't be used to break into your home.

 

Idea #8:  Trim shrubbery around doors and windows so there's nothing to conceal the actions of would-be intruders.

 

Idea #9:   Leave blinds or curtains in normal position - don't close them completely.

 

Idea #10:  Consider installing security bars on basement windows, especially those shielded from view or in the back of the house.

 

Idea #11:  Close and lock the garage door. You might even want to unplug your electric garage door opener and put a lock in the track of the garage door to prevent it from being forced open.

 

Garage Door Lock

 

Idea #12:  Remove anything of extreme value and put it in a safe place while you're gone.

 

Idea #13:  Make sure your home insurance doesn't expire while you're out of town and that it provides adequate coverage for your belongings.

 

Idea #14:  Tell someone where you're going, how to reach you in case of an emergency and when you'll be back.

 

Idea #15:  Ask a reliable neighbour to 'keep an eye' on your home and report anything suspicious to police.

 

Idea #16: Consider asking someone you trust to "house sit", especially if you plan to be away for an extended period of time.   If you notice signs of forced entry when you return home, do not go inside! Call the police from your cell phone or a neighbour's house.  Do not enter the house until you know there is no one hidding inside as many criminals may have weapons and be very damgerous or even mentally un-stable so it is best to avoid any chances of a direct confict.

 

Conclusion:

 

To Conclude we hope these ideas will help you keep you home safe while you are away on vacation.  If you have any real estate questions or are thinking of buying or selling your home we would be please to assist you.  You can contact us through this site or call us at 604-882-8384.

 

Sincerely,

 

Doug, Bonnie and David Mitten

(Mitten Real Estate Team)