How to Secure Your Home Before a Trip

Don’t let the joy of traveling be overshadowed by nagging doubts about the safety of your home while you’re away. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, securing your house is a critical step to your peace of mind. 

You’ve likely already taken proactive measures to reduce the risk of break-ins and protect your possessions. This comprehensive checklist takes that work one step further for when you travel.

So, before you pack your bags and head out the door, let’s dive into the key steps you can take to fortify your home.

Inform people you trust

This is the perfect time to put that nosy neighbor to work! Give them your emergency contact information and permission to be as snoopy as they like.

When someone is watching your house, it’s less likely to get broken into and if thieves do break in, the neighbor can contact the police more quickly.

Pro tip: Don’t tip off ride-share drivers that your home will be empty. They might be informants for thieves.

Create the illusion of occupancy

Smart lighting systems aren’t just for creating a mood; they’re also for security, but only if used correctly. You probably recall the burglars in Home Alone watching each of the homes’ Christmas lights start one by one along the street they wanted to rob.

Make sure that your smart lighting or timers are randomized so they turn on and off as if someone were home.

Other ways you can create the illusion that someone is home include:

• Make sure the lawn is mowed and trimming is done
• Have a neighbor collect the mail and packages
• Use a timer to turn on the television at a time when you are normally home from work
• Leave a car in the driveway or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway
• Install automated blinds or curtains that close at certain times
• Ask a neighbor to put out the trash cans on collection day
• Install smart cameras that allow you to see what’s going on remotely

Ideally, you want it to appear that someone is home even when the house is vacant. 

Pro tip: The best option is to ask someone to stay in your home while you’re gone.

Safeguard your valuables

In addition to keeping valuable things out of sight from window snoops, consider a hidden home safe to store important documents and jewelry when you leave the house. This way, even if a thief manages to break in, they won’t be able to take anything valuable.

If you can’t install a home safe, consider an off-site safety deposit box at a local bank for any high-value items you’d like to secure.

Test the batteries in smoke detectors and alarms

A home left vacant is vulnerable to more than thievery. Be sure to test the batteries in the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms before you travel.

Pro tip: unplug any nonessential electronics too! It’s not just about energy savings, it helps limit risk of electrical fires.

Protect against water damage

Water damage can do more harm to your home than other disasters, and the repairs can be quite costly. To protect your home from unexpected water damage, it’s important to consider the water sources. Common appliances like refrigerators have water lines, and if they break, you could come home to a flooded house.

You can’t do much to protect against a water-related natural disaster like a flood except to have good home insurance.

You can, however, prepare your home from water damage caused by leaks. This includes:

• Ensuring your gutters are cleared to prevent water damage
• Keeping your roof in good repair and replacing damaged shingles
• Insulating pipes to prevent freezing in winter
• Installing a sump pump and test that it’s working properly before you leave
• Placing smart water sensors near prone areas like the water heater or washing machine
• Installing a monitoring system that alerts you to unusual water usage spikes

Pro tip: Consider turning off the main water supply to prevent leaks from pipes or appliances.

Secure all entry points

Before you leave, secure all entry points: doors, windows, gates and the garage. Deadbolt the door leading from the garage into the house, too. If you have smart locks, you can monitor the entry points remotely.

Have you seen the videos on how thieves break into garages by pulling the emergency cord on the garage door opener from the outside of your house? 

Pro tip: Homeowners on Reddit recommend adding a zip tie to secure the emergency release cord. This way, you can still use it after cutting the tie, but thieves can’t trigger the door to open from the outside.

Manage your digital footprint while away

You know that not everyone on social media is your friend, but did you also know that thieves and scammers use social media to discover whether you’re home or not?

If your social accounts are not private, don’t share travel plans on social media and wait to post vacation photos until you return. Also, turn off GPS tracking on your devices and in social media apps.

Pro tip: You can still send photos to close friends and family, just use private messaging instead.

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