| Thousands of Americans escape from the area | | | | or programmed intervals. Lights create the |
| every day to explore the open road. In | | | | illusion of having an occupied residence. |
| today's travel planning, taking the extra | | | | |
| steps to protect yourself and your home is an | | | | 9- Leave your car in the driveway, but make |
| essential part of your departure plans. | | | | sure to not leave a garage door opener in |
| | | | your car. |
| There are many common things that can go | | | | |
| wrong while you are away, so make sure to | | | | 10- Lock your garage door externally and |
| cover all the basics and leave a secure home | | | | internally. Garage doors are created with a |
| before leaving it unattended. | | | | mechanism that can be forced open from the |
| | | | outside. |
| Here are 16 Ways to Secure Your Home: | | | | |
| | | | 11- Leave a key with a friend or neighbor (in |
| 1- Secure important papers and valuables. Use | | | | addition to having a housesitter) so that |
| a personal safe or lock box, or invest in | | | | they can double-check your property or be |
| renting a security box from a local company | | | | available in case of an emergency. |
| to safeguard any essential valuables that | | | | |
| cannot be replaced. | | | | 12- Document your valuables.The easiest way |
| | | | to do this is by photographing or taking |
| 2- Check insurance policies for home, auto, | | | | video of each room, with a quick shot of any |
| and life. Keep a copy of your insurance | | | | specific high-value items. Store the |
| papers with your important papers. | | | | information somewhere else (security box at |
| | | | the bank, family members house, etc). In the |
| 3- Alert your trusted neighbors to your | | | | event of loss, this will help you file an |
| vacation. Aware community members are the | | | | insurance claim and make sure you didn't |
| easiest way to help protect your home if they | | | | forget anything. |
| know that you will be gone. | | | | |
| | | | 13- Mark your valuables with an Operation |
| 4- Make sure that windows are closed properly | | | | Identification number. Your local police |
| and that valuables are not visible from the | | | | department probably has a pamphlet on this |
| outside of your home. | | | | process. You can engrave or etch your drivers |
| | | | license number on to valuables, if stolen and |
| 5- Hire a housesitter. This can be a personal | | | | later recovered, police can track you down |
| friend or a professional. Maintaining your | | | | through the department of motor vehicles. |
| home (plants, animals, etc) and protecting it | | | | |
| by giving the appearance of being occupied is | | | | 14- Start a community watch and look out for |
| easily accomplished by hiring a local | | | | your neighbors. Everyone goes on vacation, |
| responsible teenager or contacting a service. | | | | and this is an easy opportunity to establish |
| | | | a good-faith relationship with your community |
| 6- Do not advertise your vacation with people | | | | and enhance your overall safety. |
| you are not personal friends with. One of the | | | | |
| biggest mistakes of going on vacation is | | | | 15- Turn off all appliances (and even unplug |
| bragging to the wrong people at the wrong | | | | them). Your can minimize the risk of an |
| time: which is generally before you leave. | | | | electrical fire by unplugging any unnecessary |
| Keep your vacation stories for after you have | | | | appliances. |
| returned. | | | | |
| | | | 16- Forward your home phone number to your |
| 7- Put mail on hold or get a secure locking | | | | cell phone (or a family member) to answer |
| mailbox. The post office will hold you mail | | | | calls while you are away. |
| for a specific time with a simple request, | | | | |
| however locking mailboxes with enough storage | | | | Finally: create a departure checklist for |
| can simplify the process if you are | | | | each family member traveling. Include items |
| consistently traveling. | | | | on this list, but also include important |
| | | | conversations with children and teenagers to |
| 8- Install automatic timers for your lights. | | | | make sure that they are not advertising your |
| Most home improvement stores carry a variety | | | | absence with the wrong people. |
| of digital timers that can turn on at random | | | | |