Disasters can happen: Protect your Home

If you are going on vacation or leaving your home unattended for a long period of time, you need to make sure that everything is kept safe. Before you leave home, unplug any items that could cause electrical issues while gone. This includes things such as curling irons, hair dryers, and other like items.

For spans of time over a week, turn off the water in your home as well. This includes toilets, sinks, washing machine, and dishwasher. Many homeowners have returned home to find that a dishwasher part has come loose which led to flooding and thousands of dollars worth of damage.

In addition to electrical and water issues, you will also need to do what you can in order to prevent a break-in. While you can only do so much, there are several simple precautions that you can take in order to keep your home safe. For example, you will want to cancel newspaper delivery, use motion lights, put timers on lamps, and have friends and family keep an overall watch.

Of course, you will also want to make sure that every door in your home is locked and the windows are properly secured. Approximately 25 percent of all burglaries occur through an unlocked window or door. In other words, they are not forced entry break-ins.

One thing that you should keep in mind is that a home with a security system is three times less likely to be burglarized. Not to mention the fact that you will be able to get a price break on your homeowner’s insurance if you install a burglar alarm.

Finally, do not forget to unplug your automatic garage door opener before you leave for vacation. There are many burglars who are skilled enough to decipher your code, and in turn use it to open your garage. This makes for an easy break-in to say the least.

Overall, never leave your home for an extended period of time without making sure that everything is protected and that you have disaster prevention methods in place.