When You Are Away From Home

When you're going away on vacation you want to rest - and rest easy too. If you want peace of mind that your home is as safe as it can be from burglary or other damage, run though this checklist.

Suspend your newspaper and mail delivery, or have a neighbour hold them for you. A pile of papers and mail is a clear sign that the home is vacant.

Arrange to have the house look lived in. That means having someone mow the lawn or shovel the walk, clear your car off if it snows, or park their car in your driveway if you're taking yours. You can even ask a neighbour to put a bag of garbage at your curb on garbage day. Burglars can pick up on all sorts of signs that you're away.

A dark house all the time is a telltale sign that it's empty. Set your lights on timers, in various rooms. With some timers, the lights go on and off at different times each day, which means a burglar can't pick up on a pattern. Motion sensor lights outside can also startle a burglar and make him flee. Consider installing them in front and back.

Tell a neighbour when you're leaving and returning, and ask them to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Leave someone a phone number where you can be reached, and a spare set of your keys (in case of an emergency, or simply to check your house once in a while).

Burglars know all the clever hiding spots for valuables; they do this for a living. If you can't bear the thought of a favourite piece of jewellery being stolen, put it in a safety deposit box while you're gone.

Ensure that all your doors and windows are secure. Don't forget about the garage. To be extra safe, place a bar or stick of wood in the lower track of sliding doors or windows.

Do not leave notes on your door saying that you're away. People sometimes do this when they're expecting deliveries, but if a burglar reads it you may as well just leave the front door open.

Make sure the stove is off, and the taps aren't running. Depending how long you're gone, you may want to turn off the water-main and unplug the major appliances as an added precaution.

One last tip: in your excitement to get going on your vacation, make sure to take the key out of the door when you lock up. You'd be surprised how often people forget.