10 Tips for safeguarding your home while away on vacation
Is there a sweeter word than vacation? We don't have to tell you that going on vacation is one of life's greatest pleasures, but we do want to take a moment to share some tips on how you can protect your home-sweet-home while you're enjoying your time away.
When you leave for vacation, you leave your home and all its contents behind. This not only puts your home at risk, but your home insurance policy as well. Many policies require certain safeguarding measures to be in place in order to maintain an active policy.
Here's how you can ensure your home remains as protected as possible while you are on vacation.
1. Have someone monitor the place
Recruit a trusted friend, family member or neighbour to stop by your house every few days to make sure everything is in good order and to increase the physical presence at your home. Some policies may even require some sort of regular monitoring to be in place in order to keep the policy active. You'll want to check your policy to see what safeguarding measures are required.
2. While they're at it, have them monitor your mail too
Nothing screams "no one's home" like a buildup of mail outside your door. You can ask a trusted neighbour or whoever is checking in on your home to collect your mail for you while you are away.
Alternatively, Canada Post allows holds to be put on residential addresses to temporarily halt mail delivery. There is a fee associated with this and there are some limitations to the service, which you can read about here. However, some in the safety community have noted that mail not being delivered is another indicator that no one's home. Figure out which method would seem most authentic to your usual mail routine.
3. Consider installing a home security system
Studies have shown that home security systems act as strong deterrents for would-be burglars.
There are a number of different security devices available on the market in Ontario, some of which allow you to check in on your home while you're away. Read our article here on the best home security devices.
If you use a home security system, be sure to let your home security provider know that you'll be away so they're prepared to take action if need be.
4. Store valuables in a safe
Before you leave, round up all your valuables and store them securely in a safe. This includes things like jewelry, identification, money and other items that are easy targets for thieves.
If you do not have a safe, store these items somewhere secure that is out of plain view. That old saying out of sight, out of mind still stands today. Although a safe is a more ideal situation, hiding valuable things is a solid backup plan.
5. Don't post about your vacation on social media
As tempting as it is to broadcast your excitement about your upcoming trip to Aruba, posting about going on vacation online and on social media (and even posting vacation photos while on your vacation) is a big red flag for burglars.
A recent study found that over 78 per cent of burglars monitor social media to find their targets. This is an alarming statistic that should not be taken lightly in today's digital landscape where security settings and hackings are increasingly problematic and dangerous.
6. Hide your extra house key
If you're one of many Canadians who still hides an extra house key somewhere outside your home, now's the time to break the habit. Burglars know the common places—under doormats, plants and barbecues are a few examples—and they're not afraid to look. Consider breaking this habit entirely, not just when you're on vacation. You don't want to make it easy for them.
7. The chores must go on
Just because you're on vacation doesn't mean the chores are on vacation too. Overgrown lawns, not taking the garbage out on garbage day, snow-covered driveways and a lack of other household tasks can indicate your absence.
To maintain appearances, take care of these things before you go away and ask or hire someone to look after your outdoor property until you get back.
8. Install light timers/sensors
What to do with your lights while you're away is one of the trickiest things to figure out. Installing a light timer is one way to make it look like someone's home.
However, there's a trick to this. Burglars are known to monitor homes by looking for patterns that indicate absence, one of which is seeing if lights come on at the same time every day. Look for a timer that allows the lights to be set for different times and stagger this over the duration of your trip.
Alternatively, some light timers/sensors are connected to an app. This can allow you to turn lights on and off at random while you're away, just be conscious of time zones to keep things consistent.
9. Take indoor precautions
The above tips are about deterring burglars, but it's also important to safeguard your house on the inside from any potential liabilities.
- Unplug unnecessary appliances to limit electricity costs and reduce potential fire hazards, including things like your television, microwave and so on. You can also use this opportunity to ensure your electronics are connected to an adequate surge protector for additional precaution and protection going forward.
- Lower your thermostat to reduce electricity
- Check pipes to ensure they're in good shape (frozen pipes can burst, resulting in flooding and damage to your home)
10. Lock your doors
We know, this one sounds obvious. However, police report that an alarming number of burglaries show no sign of forced entry. Vancouver police recently reported that as many as one in three break-ins were "invited" in, meaning thieves literally just opened a door or came in through a window.
Before you leave, double check that all doors and windows are closed and locked, including the garage door and especially the basement, a common point of entry.
If you have any questions about safeguarding your home while you're on vacation, talk to your OTIP Insurance Broker today. Give us a call at 1-866-523-4111.