Protect Your Home While on Vacation

To keep your home safe while you’re on vacation, use a mix of smart gadgets and simple steps. Install a smart security system and remember to turn off the main water valve. Set timers for your lights to make it look like someone is home. Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your house. Make sure your gutters are clean and have someone check your home for any problems. Using both new technology and old-fashioned methods will help protect your home well.

Conduct a Pre-Vacation Home Inspection

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)residential properties make up 62.8% of all burglary offenses, making home security a top priority, especially before leaving for vacation.

To protect your property, start with a full inspection inside and out. Ensure all doors and windows are secure and in good repair, replace any burnt-out exterior light bulbs, and confirm that motion sensors are working. Inside, check for plumbing issues like leaky faucets or faulty appliances, and consider shutting off the main water valve to prevent potential flooding. Unplug unnecessary electronics to reduce fire risks, and test your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and home security system.

Taking time to document and fix any problems before you go can prevent emergencies and give you peace of mind while you’re away.

Install a Smart Security System

When people get a smart security system for their home, they feel safer and more relaxed while traveling. These systems help keep an eye on your home by using phone apps. You can see what’s happening through cameras, get alerts if something moves, and even lock or unlock doors from far away.

A smart security system usually has different parts: cameras by the door to see who’s there, sensors on windows to catch break-ins, and cameras inside to watch main rooms. Some systems also work with fire alarms and water leak detectors, keeping your home safe from break-ins and things like fires or floods.

If there’s an emergency, professional monitoring can send help.

Before going on vacation, people should make sure everything works. Test the system, update the software, and check the backup batteries.

Tell the security company when you’ll be gone and make sure they have the right emergency contact information.

Shut Off the Main Water Valve

Before going on a trip, it’s a good idea to turn off the main water valve in your home. This can help stop big water leaks and damage. The main valve is usually in the basement, crawl space, or close to the street. Everyone in the house should know where it is.

To turn off the water supply right, you should let the extra water in the pipes come out. Do this by turning on faucets until no more water comes out and flushing toilets. This helps keep pipes from freezing in cold weather and lowers pressure in the pipes.

If your home has things like fire sprinklers or lawn sprinklers that need water, you should ask an expert how to keep those working while keeping other pipes safe. Tell any house sitters or property managers where the water valve is and if it’s turned off.

Use Light Timers to Deter Burglars

Light timers help keep burglars away by making it look like someone is home. You can set these gadgets to switch lights on and off at different times during the day and night. This makes it seem like there are people in the house.

To make this work best, put timers in several rooms, especially the ones you can see from outside, like the living room, bedroom, and kitchen. New digital timers can change the schedule, so burglars won’t catch on to any patterns.

Using light timers with other security tools makes them even better. Motion-sensor lights outside, keeping the yard tidy, and locking doors and windows are all good ideas.

If you’re gone for a long time, setting the lights to turn on and off at different times each day makes it look more like someone is there.

Ask a Neighbor to Check In

Having good neighbors watch your house can make it safer than just using gadgets. Neighbors can do important things like picking up your mail, packages, and newspaper delivery, so that it doesn’t look like you’re not home. They can also call the police if they see something strange.

Let your neighbors know how to reach you in an emergency, when you’ll be away, and if anyone is supposed to visit. It’s a good idea to give them a spare key for real emergencies instead of hiding one outside.

Neighbors can make it seem like someone is home by sometimes parking in the driveway, changing the curtains or blinds, or cleaning up leaves. They should also know how to contact your alarm company and understand basic things about your house in case something breaks while you’re gone.

Avoid Posting Vacation Plans on Social Media

Sharing your vacation plans on social media can be risky. When you tell everyone you’re away, it might let burglars know your house is empty and open for a break-in. Bad people sometimes look on social media to find houses with nobody home.

To keep your home safe, wait until you get back from your trip to post pictures or updates. If you feel you must share while you’re away, make sure your privacy settings only let close friends see your posts.

Also, turn off location settings on your phone and don’t check in at places you visit.

Even simple posts like “Can’t wait for the beach next week!” can hint that your house will be empty soon. Always remember that what you share online can affect your home’s safety. Be careful about what you post when you’re traveling.

Unplug Non-Essential Electronics

Before going on vacation, unplugging non-essential electronics is a smart idea. This can help prevent fires, stop damage from power surges, and save money on your electric bill. Many gadgets still use power even when they’re off, which wastes energy and might be unsafe.

You should unplug things like TVs, computers, game consoles, coffee makers, toasters, and chargers.

But keep fridges, security alarms, smart thermostats, and automatic lights plugged in. These are important for home safety and comfort. For key devices, using surge protectors can keep them safe from electrical spikes.

Make a list of what to unplug so you don’t disconnect anything important. This way, your home stays safe and you save energy while you’re away.

Adjust Your Thermostat

When going on vacation, setting your thermostat right can save money and keep your home safe.

• In summer: Keep the thermostat between 80-85°F (27-29°C). This helps stop too much humidity and protects furniture without wasting energy.
• In winter: Set the thermostat to at least 55°F (13°C). This stops pipes from freezing and keeps your house safe.
• For smart thermostats: Set it to go back to normal a few hours before you get home.
• Humidity settings: If you live where it’s humid, think about using the humidity control feature too.

These settings help keep your home safe and cut down on energy use while you’re away.

Install Leak Detection Sensors

Water damage can be a big problem when you’re away from home. Leak detection sensors are important tools for homeowners on vacation. These gadgets watch for leaks and send alerts to your smartphone if they find water. This helps you act quickly.

Sensor Location	Purpose
Under sinks	Find pipe leaks
Near toilets	Check for tank problems
Behind appliances	Spot water line breaks
Near the water heater	Catch tank breaks

Today’s leak sensors can work with smart home systems. They can even turn off the main water valve if they find a leak. Some can also check water pressure and flow to spot problems early. Putting these sensors in key places around your home helps keep it safe from water damage while you’re away.

Secure Doors and Windows

To keep your home safe from break-ins, focus on doors and windows. These are the main ways burglars get inside. Check everything before you go on vacation to make sure no one can get in.

• Put strong locks called deadbolts on all outside doors. Use long screws to keep the lock plates tight.
• Make sure all windows lock well. You can add extra locks or pins for more safety.
• For sliding glass doors, use metal bars or wooden sticks in the tracks. This stops them from being opened.
• Look at door hinges, frames, and window sills. Fix any problems you find.

These steps help keep your home safe while you’re away.

Turn Off the Water Heater (Or Set to Vacation Mode)

Before you go on vacation, make sure to take care of your water heater. This can help save energy and avoid any problems while you’re away.

If you have a regular tank water heater, set it to “vacation mode” or the lowest setting. This keeps it running just a little bit, which stops it from freezing if it’s cold.

Some newer water heaters have a special vacation mode that adjusts the temperature for you when you’re gone for a long time. If you’re going away for just a short while, setting the temperature to 50°F is enough. If it’s warm outside or you live in a mild climate, you could even turn it off completely.

Before you change anything, check the manual for your water heater. Different models have different rules.

When you get back from your trip, don’t forget to set it back to normal and give it a few hours to heat the water again.

Lock Your Garage and Disconnect Openers

When you’re going on vacation, make sure your garage is safe. Just shutting the door isn’t enough.

• Use a zip tie or a special lock to stop thieves from using a wire to open the emergency release lever.
• Unplug the garage door opener and turn off any wireless remotes. This stops tech-savvy burglars from using gadgets to break in.
• Put strong locks on the doors between your garage and house. This adds another layer of protection.
• Cover the garage windows with frosted film or blinds. This keeps burglars from seeing inside and knowing if your car is there.

These steps help keep your garage secure while you’re away.

Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Keeping your home safe from water damage while you’re away means checking your gutters and downspouts. Make sure to clean them out before you leave. If they get blocked, water can overflow and cause damage to your home’s foundation, basement, and structure.

Look for any loose parts, rust, or places where the gutters pull away from the roof. Clear out leaves, sticks, and anything else that might stop water from flowing.

Run water through the downspouts to make sure it drains well and moves away from the house. You can add gutter guards to help stop debris from collecting if you’re gone for a long time.

If your house is tall or has a tricky roof, hiring a professional to clean the gutters can help prevent problems and expensive repairs.

Pause Mail and Package Deliveries

If mail and packages pile up on your doorstep, it can show burglars that you’re not home.

Before going on vacation, it’s important to manage your mail and packages to make it look like someone is home.

• Ask your post office to hold your mail. You can do this online or in person for up to 30 days.
• Tell package delivery services like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon to pause or send your packages somewhere else while you’re away.
• Ask a neighbor you trust to pick up any packages that still come.
• You can also use a P.O. box or have your important mail sent to a different address if you’re away for a long time.

These steps help keep your home safe and make it look like you’re still there.

Inform Your Home Insurance Provider

Before going on a trip, let your home insurance company know. They need to be aware if you’re away for a long time to make sure your home is still covered.

• Check your policy to see if there are rules about leaving your home empty and what it covers.
• Ask if you need extra coverage for things like theft, water damage, or storms while you’re gone.
• Take pictures of your valuable stuff and update your home inventory in case you need to make a claim.
• Get written proof from your insurance company that your home is covered while you’re on vacation.

Following these steps helps make sure your home stays protected and you don’t run into problems if you need to make a claim.

Some insurance companies might ask you to have security checks or have someone check your home while you’re away to keep your coverage.