Expert Ways to Protect Your Home While on Vacation
Here are several ways you can prep and protect your home before you leave on vacation to make your home less attractive to break-ins.
Secure Your Home
- Lock the garage door that connects to the inside of the house.
- Secure the sliding glass door(s) by placing a metal rod or piece of wood into the track.
- Ensure all doors and windows, on both first and second floors, are locked.
- If you normally keep your blinds open, don’t close them before you leave.
- Bring your hide-a-key inside. Instead, give a key to a trusted neighbor or family member.
- Make sure there are no valuables visible from the windows.
- If you store a ladder outside, secure and lock it with a cable or chain.
- Invest in some light timers to program a light or lamp to turn on during certain hours of the day.
- Depending on the season, turn the thermostat up or down a bit. If you’re traveling during the winter, make sure your pipes are insulated and have a neighbor or family member periodically check on the house while you’re gone.
Don’t Leave Clues You’re Not Home
- Ask a neighbor to put out and bring in your trash cans.
- Ask a neighbor to check and grab your mail.
- Be careful what you share on social media.
- If you choose to post vacation photos on social media, disable the GPS on your phone so it doesn’t display your location.
Protect your Home
Follow these few tips on protecting your home while on vacation. You should also make sure you have the right and up-to-date homeowners insurance to protect your property and valuables inside. Contact a Hertvik Insurance agent we’ll compare quotes for you to make sure you’re getting the best price for the coverage you need.