Simple steps to prep a house prior to vacation
Summer vacation season is in full swing. And even if you live in a nice neighborhood, you need to be aware of the obvious – burglars looking for easy marks.
The following suggestions are intended to help make your home safe when you’re away. Ultimately, it is unadvisable to fall into the category of being one of the people who fail to appropriately prepare their homes prior to taking a vacation.
There are few worse feelings than returning home to find a neglected lawn, dead plants, a house full of musty air, and a refrigerator full of reeking rotten food. In the most extreme cases, if vacation preparation is not undertaken, homeowners could realize their worst nightmare and return home to the abject terror and dread of having been burglarized.
Consider the following to help assure you return to a comfortable and secure home:
Adjust the air conditioning
Set the air conditioning to the appropriate temperature on an automatic setting.
Do not turn the system off to save energy while away. Instead set the temperature a little higher than normal to keep air moving and the house from getting to hot inside. The refrigerator as well as other electronics needs a temperate climate in which to work most efficiently. Appliances working harder mean higher electrical draw and higher costs. However, unneeded small appliances should be unplugged to prevent unforeseen power surges and associated damage.
Sinks and toilets
Make sure to run the water in each sink for a few seconds and flush all toilets. Verify that the toilet tanks fill up quickly, and then the water stops running. Also, leave the toilet seats up so mold does not form in a closed, moist environment. If there is any worry about the state of the fittings on the dishwasher and washer, turn off the water supply to those two appliances just to be sure.
Double check the garage door(s)
If you are leaving the cars inside, make sure to unplug the power cords to the garage door openers. If the car(s) must be left outside, place them close enough to the garage door to prevent anyone from getting inside the garage area – and make absolutely sure not to leave any garage door openers in any outside vehicles.
Don’t forget about the front and back entry doors
Make doubly sure all front and back access doors are firmly closed and locked with double bolt locks. It is also a good idea to secure all doors with reinforced bar and/or support stick locks. Obviously the harder you make it to get into the home, the less chance burglars will stick around to force their way inside. Ultimately, it is best to have an alarm system that is activated and clearly marked with a sign in the front of the house – and connect visible inside lamps and outside lights on digital timers.
Regardless of the amount of preparation, it certainly pays to make your trusted neighbors aware of your vacation plans and the amount of time you will be away. Give them a list of emergency contacts and let them know about any expected package or out-of-the-ordinary deliveries or pickups.