Are you leaving your home at risk when you travel?

March 22nd, 2017  |  Home

With summer around the corner, many Canadians are eagerly awaiting a vacation. Nicer weather will open new destinations and the kids will be free to escape. It's an exciting time, but even travel come with its stresses.

For many people, budgeting is the most stressful part of the trip. But it isn't the only thing people stress over. Worrying about leaving your home uninhabited while on vacation can be infinitively worse. Luckily, your stress can be mitigated with these simple tips:

1. Tell trusted people where you’re going: make sure your family or close friends know that you’ll be away. Having someone in town that you can trust to keep an eye out on your home – and who you can call in an emergency – goes a long was to helping you stay stress-free on vacation.
2. Check your alarms: Make sure your smoke and CO2 alarms are working before you head out on vacation. If you have a security alarm through a third-party, notify the company that you’ll be leaving your home for vacation.
3. Double-check your home insurance policy or call your broker: Some insurance companies require a daily or weekly check of the property. If you don’t have anyone checking your property for two weeks and the worst happens, your home insurance company could refuse to pay your claim.
4. Hire a caretaker: If you plan to be away for an extended period of time, look into hiring a caretaker to shovel your walk, mow your lawn and pick up your mail. This person will give passersby the appearance that someone is still occupying your home while you’re away, making it less likely for it to become a target for thieves.
5. Automate everything: Another theft-prevention measure is to automate your home’s lights. By setting your lights on a timer, you can make it look like there are people living in the home.
6. Keep the heat on: Home insurance companies require you to leave the heat on when leaving your home while on vacation. This is to prevent the pipes from bursting and leaving you with a giant (and expensive) mess to clean up when you come home. Turn the heat down so your house is between 10 and 15 degrees, but don’t turn it off!
7. Before you leave, make sure you’ve locked all your doors and windows. Make it a point to unplug appliances like space heaters, curling irons, etc. By unplugging and/or storing these everyday items, you’re more likely to remember that they’re off and safe, rather than worry you left them on.
8. Closed-circuit cameras: If you’re still nervous about leaving your home, consider purchasing a camera that streams a video feed to your phone or computer. This will let you keep an eye on your home even if you’re on the other side of the world.

Vacations are meant to be fun and relaxing experiences. However, it’s understandable that you’d be worried about leaving your home while on vacation – especially if you’re planning to leave for a long period of time or are headed somewhere you can't get back from in an amergency. By taking preventative measures to ensure your home is protected from acts of destruction and theft, you can make travel happening 2017 without spending your vacation worrying.