10 Tips to Protect Your Home While You’re on Vacation

Summer is upon us again, and so we look forward to going on vacation. Whether your ideal holiday location is within Canada, such as Niagara Falls, Ontario, or thousands of miles away in Bali, the summer holidays are a time to relax, re-energize, and have fun.

However, before leaving on vacation, you must ensure to safely guard your home against burglars, water damage, power surges, fire breakouts, and other domestic incidents that may destroy your home and cause you to lose valuables before your return.

At W.B. White Insurance, we offer home insurance policies in Oshawa that are sure to keep your home and properties safe in case of any incidents. Our team cares about protecting your home, so here are 10 tips to secure it while you are on vacation.

1. Lock your doors

Locking your doors is normal when people leave for vacation, but it will surprise you how many homeowners forget to do so because of the excitement of finally going on vacation. Some people forget to lock their doors because they are rushing for their flight, so they hurry out, thus neglecting to secure all the doors properly.

You must also make sure to lock your windows, mail slots, garage doors, and every opening that may give a stranger access to your home.

To increase security in your home, you can install a grade 1 or grade 2 heavy-duty deadbolt lock or a smart lock that is accessible on your mobile devices.

2. Take all your spare keys

Remember to remove all your spare keys from where you usually hide them. Burglars usually know all the hiding spots (including from under the doormat to under potted plants and fake rocks), and will not fall for any tricks.

You do not want to return from vacation to discover that someone has broken into your home. If you do need to leave spare keys behind, an easy solution is to give them to your neighbour or someone you trust.

3. Set up a security system

Another way to protect your home is by setting up a security system. Security alarm systems alert the police in case of intrusion into your home, so you do not have to worry about your prized possessions being stolen while you’re away.

Alarms are not the only security systems available. You can also install cameras around the house that provide footage on your smartphone to monitor your home while you are gone.

These cameras also provide facial recognition and alert you when someone is on your premises. Security cameras are a proactive way to keep your home protected.

4. Keep the lawn and trees cut

When you mow your lawn and cut your trees regularly, you avoid giving the impression that you are away on vacation, thus preventing burglars from gaining access to your home through trees or offering them hiding spots in the shrubs.

A wise approach to keep your home safe is to ask someone to regularly mow your lawn, clear the path to your door, and keep your trees cut. You want your yard to keep looking clean and freshly cut in order to discourage burglars from targeting your home.

If burglars think someone is home, then they are less likely to approach your premises.

5. Do not post your location on social media

You must avoid posting your location on social media in real time, as you are unaware of who is watching these stories and planning to cause harm to your home.

We understand that you want to share your precious moments with your friends and family on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media, but we advise that you wait until after your vacation to post photos and highlights.

If you must share such posts, ensure that you turn off your location, and you only show them to a few trusted people on your social media.

6. Keep your lights on

Keeping your lights on will go a long way in stopping burglars or strangers from attempting to enter your home, as it will appear as though someone is there.

You should set timers on your lights to come on or off when they usually would if you were home.

7. Turn off all water taps

Burglars are not the only things you want to protect your home from. You also want your home to be in good condition when you come back. One way to ensure that is by properly shutting off all the taps in your home.

Turning off all the taps protects your home from a potential flood. As little as a steady drop of water from the sink over an extended period will result in a flood that could destroy your home.

Remember, water does not mix well with electricity, so a small spark may escalate to fire because you still have power running in your home. We do not want that for you, so make sure you close all the taps before leaving your home on vacation.

8. Turn off your stove

Fire outbreaks may also occur while you are on a holiday. Therefore, you should turn off all your cooking appliances, especially your stove, in order to avoid a fire outbreak.

Another wise investment would be installing smoke detectors and alarms around your home to protect it from any fire outbreaks.

9. Protect your valuables

Remove all accessories, jewellery, and other valuables from around your house. Place them in a safe to prevent thieves from getting easy access to them if they enter your home.

10. Get home insurance

An essential part of this list (and the surest way to secure your home) is getting home insurance. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, you need home insurance to protect your home and other valuable assets.

W.B. White Insurance in Oshawa offers trusted and affordable home insurance policies so when you are on vacation, you are at peace knowing that your property is protected from any unfortunate incidents that may occur in your absence.

To learn more about W.B. White Insurance and our home insurance services, call 1-877-727-0757 or contact us here.