PROPERTY NEWS - Easter weekend is around the corner and these basic preventative measures can work wonders to help keep your home safe from power surges, broken pipes, home invasions and more while you're away.
Ask a friend to help
A simple way to gain peace of mind while travelling is to ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your house while you're away. Ask him or her to drive by your home once every day or so and check on the place. Give this person a key so that he or she can bring your mail in, feed your cat, water your plants, rake your leaves, etc. Give this person a key to your car - you never know when your vehicle may need to be moved.
Don't tip off criminals on the web
The anonymity of the internet can encourage us to share personal information without fully realising that there may be hundreds of complete strangers receiving our daily musings. Would you announce to a crowd that you will be leaving your house unattended for two weeks this December?
If not, then you should think twice about posting your detailed vacation plans on social media - especially if that information is visible to internet users other than your friends and family (and it probably is). Be careful what you say on your answering machine or voice mail too. Callers don't need to know that you're not home - they just need to know that you can't come to the phone right now.
Tip off the police
Consider notifying the police if you're going on vacation. No need to let the cops know about a weekend getaway, but do call them if you're leaving town for longer than a week or two. It's possible the police may go out of their way to drive by your house while on patrol, especially if you live in a small town. If you have a security alarm, leave a house key and the code with someone you trust, and provide the police and alarm company with their name and phone number. You may also want to contact your local neighbourhood watch if there's one in your area.
Curtains closed or open?
Before you leave, you may decide to close your curtains to prevent people from peering inside your home to see whether you're there. However, closed curtains also stop those who aim to help - the police, your neighbours or friends - from seeing inside your house. So what's your best bet? Leave your curtains exactly as you usually keep them when you're home since noticeable changes could hint that you're not around anymore - especially if your curtains are uncharacteristically left closed for two weeks. Leeve move expensive items, like jewellery or computers, out of plain sight.
Lights on but no one's home
Don't leave your lights on at home throughout your entire vacation in an effort to make it look like someone is in the house. Your electric bill will end up more costly than your mortgage, and house lights blazing throughout the night might look a bit suspicious.
Instead, purchase a light switch timer that can turn your lights on and off automatically according to a programmed schedule. Criminals keeping an eye on your house will notice lights flipping on and off, and will probably assume someone is doing the flipping.
Stop your mail
Arrange to have a friend or neighbour pick up your mail while you're away. Otherwise, a week's worth of papers piled on your front step could signal to criminals that this particular homeowner is out of town.
Pull the plug
Unplug your television, computer, toaster oven and other appliances to protect them from power surges. This will help you save power as well; many appliances draw energy even when they're turned off.
Remove your spare key
That plastic rock isn't fooling anyone. If a criminal figures out you're away on vacation, it's likely that he or she will check your porch for a spare key. So reach under the mat, into the mailbox, above the door frame or into the flower pot and remove your spare key before you leave on your vacation.
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