Keeping your house safe while you are gone

Are you one of those who devote his/her energy for preparing for the trip and spend less time thinking about the safety and security of your house? If this the case you should read this post, especially if you will be gone for weeks or longer and no one will be behind to take care of your house. If all of your households are traveling with you, it makes sense to seek assistance from a responsible person to do your house chores – such as maintain your lawn or garden, collect mail, and most importantly, call the right authorities in case of an emergency.

Who should you ask for help to keep your house safe behind? Start asking your friends, neighbors, relatives for help. If needed, another alternative would be to hire a service-provider.

Here are some tips to prepare your house for safety:

• Arrange to have someone gather your newspaper or mail. Also, remember to arrange for removal of snow and mowing of your lawn – if applicable. Did you know that a pile of uncollected newspapers and mail and accumulation of snow are obvious signs of your absence? Needless to say obvious signs of your absence are inviting to strangers or target of burglaries.
• Pay all current bills (due while you are gone), especially pay house and life insurance bills. If you have the option of online bill pay, consider scheduling the payment early.
• Consider unplugging small appliances such as television sets, home computers and computer equipments, and stereo systems, to reduce risk of start of electrical fire.