Vacation-Proof Your Home
Many of us spend all year long dreaming about and planning our summer vacation. But while you're busy packing and developing your travel itinerary, remember to devote a few moments to protecting your home while you're away. The following tips will ensure that you can enjoy your vacation with plenty of peace of mind.
Safety and Security
Safety and Security
- Ask a neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your home while you're away.
- Make sure you lock all windows and doors, as well as any vehicles that you leave at home.
- Use special timers to turn on several lights in rooms that are most visible from the street; these will give the impression that someone is home, especially if you time the lights to follow a normal schedule (the kitchen light goes on at dinnertime; the bedroom light goes on just before bedtime, for example).
- Contact the post office and newspapers to temporarily suspend service so mail and papers don't pile up.
- Hire someone to mow your lawn and take out the garbage (and bring the cans back in) if you'll be gone for an extended length of time since thieves are always on the lookout for signs that a home is unattended.
- You'll want to make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are clean when you leave. Wipe down all the counters and other surfaces. Even small messes could stain the surface if they're left to sit.
- Discard produce, meat and dairy products that are likely to spoil and create odors in your fridge.
- Empty all wastepaper baskets and trashcans.
- Ask a friend or neighbor to water your plants.
- Also have someone check on pets like fish and cats that you are leaving behind.
- Reset your thermostat to a more efficient temperature (hotter in the summer, cooler in the winter) to save a little bit on your energy bill. But don't turn off the air-conditioner or heat all-together -- you don't want your home to get overly hot (we once came back from a week-long trip to find that all of our candles had melted during an unusual hot spell) or so cold that your pipes freeze.
- Unplug appliances like clocks, computers, and TVs that can use power even when they are turned off, remembering that even a coffee-maker with a timer sucks up a little juice when it is off. Turning off these appliances will also reduce the risk of fire.
posted by Insider Travel Guides at 10:22 AM
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