Winter Vacationers Ensure Home Security While They Are Away

The vast majority of guides as to how to prepare a home for a period of being unoccupied have to do with summer vacationers

. They discuss how to properly have the lawn and property maintained so as not to draw suspicion from would-be thieves, squatters and other intruders. When travelling in the winter, however, and leaving a house unattended there is a completely different set of factors to consider. More and more people are taking time off during the winter around the holidays to not only visit friends and family but to travel to warmer climates. Its a great way to break up a long winter of cold weather, but comes with special home security risks and concerns. Here are some of the top measures to take before heading off on your full on holiday or mini-break!

Pick the right temperature. Leaving a house to completely freeze over in the winter can result in disaster by the time you return. If a pipe freezes it can completely ruin the plumbing in the house, not to mention form a crack that will begin spewing gallons of water the second the home begins to thaw. Whether freezing weather is normal in your area or not, assure the house will be at a constant temperature by setting the thermostat to no lower than 55 degrees. This will keep costs down, while keeping the home warm.

Properly deal with plumbing. Freezing pipes arent the only concern when leaving a home alone during the winter. Any kind of crack or leak could result in the flooding of the entire home and property, as well as those of neighbors. Nobody wants to get a phone call informing them of this nightmare while they are off on holiday. If leaving for more than a month, its a good idea to have the homes water shut off, and to drain the water lines. Unless you are an expert do not attempt to do this yourself. Protect your home security by enlisting the assistance of a professional plumber. If the water heater is fueled by gas have the gas company come and shut it off, or set it to a vacation setting. All types of pipes can burst under the strain of extreme neglect or temperature, so get prepared by eliminating the risks.

Foresee winter weather. In the winter when freezing cold gales blow it can do a number on your home. Plan ahead for bad winter weather and eliminate home security risks from your property. Begin by removing any loose items like outdoor furniture, shovels, skis or toys that may have been left around. Then, trim any dangerous or dead limbs from trees, bushes and shrubs around the property. Secure all windows including skylights and vents by closing and locking them, and protecting them with storm windows or hurricane shutters in areas that get extreme winter weather.

Create a lived in illusion. Just like in the summer its important that the home not look empty at any point to prevent intruders from targeting it. Do so by setting holiday decorations like lights on automatic timers, as well as electronics like the television or interior lighting. Have someone come by and shovel the walk every now and again, as well as collect the mail (unless its been cancelled with the post office), and take a walk through the house and around the property to make sure nothing has gone wrong.

by: Adam Hampton

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