Keeping your home safe while you're away for the holidays!

How to keep your home safe this holiday season

by: Colleen Hendrickson

Are you going out of town this holiday season to spend time with your loved ones? During the time of your absence  don’t forget that your house will be left behind. It is critical to keep your home and your belongings safe and protected during the holiday season! Here are some tips to protecting your home:

Neighbors: If you live in a neighborhood I am sure you have neighbors that you have become close with. Whether you are just an acquaintance or you carpool all the kids to soccer during the school year, they are a great asset when you are out of town. Always ask a neighbor to watch over your home for you. Make sure that they have your phone number so they can get a hold of you at any time. They will be there for you when you are not able to be there for your home.

Thermostat: If you know you will be going out of town for a week or three weeks, make sure to keep your thermostat at a good temperature so your pipes do not freeze. Freezing pipes are something that no one wants to fix, or pay to get fixed. It is very important that your thermostat is at the right temperature to keep this from happening.

Honey I’m Home: It is very important that whether you are home or not, people think you are. A few good ways for it to look like you are home without you actually being there is to set a timer on one or more lights in your house. Whether it is a lamp, a basement light or a kitchen light, you always want it to look like there is movement in your house.

Mail: You must stop your mail! You do not want your mail to pile up day after day. This is a sign to any criminal that you have not been there for a few days, and you do not want them to know that. So either put a “Stop” on your mail so that it is not sent to your house or ask a friend or close neighbor pick it up on a daily basis for you. Don't forget your newspaper too - papers collecting in a driveway tell everyone you haven't been home!

It’s Electric: Unplug all of your electronics to save energy and to protect them from a power surge. Everyone wants to save money, so why not unplug those electronics and save some cash for after holiday shopping?

Spare Keys: If you have a spare key on your property, always remove it. Either give it to a close neighbor who is watching over your house, or a family member that is close by. That way they will have access to your property to check your faucets for freezing pipes, and anything else they are watching for you.

From all of us at the Todd Haigh Group we wish you a fun and safe holiday season!