10 Ways to Protect Your Home on Vacation

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10 Ways to Protect Your Home on Vacation

By admin

07/08/2011

Before you leave on a summer vacation, here’s a quick checklist of things you can do to protect your home and property.

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Before you leave on a summer vacation, here’s a quick checklist of things you can do to protect your home and property.

  1. Give trusted family, friends, and/or neighbors your phone number, email, hotel phone, etc. so that you can be contacted for emergencies. Don’t discuss your absence in public and especially not on social media like Facebook.
  2. Put your mail and newspaper on hold (at usps.gov you can easily put your mail on hold). Ask a family member or neighbor to check your home and collect any fliers or advertisements hung on your door or thrown in the yard.
  3. Arrange for lawn care. Overgrown grass is a giveaway that you're on vacation.
  4. Unplug electronic items especially the TV, sound system, and especially computers. Power surges from storms or other things can damage their systems resulting in costly repair or replacement.
  5. Make sure faucets are tightly turned off. Unplug your washing machine hoses; they can break and cause damage to your home before you can do anything about it.
  6. Save energy by turning the air-conditioning thermostat up to between 81 and 85 degrees and putting your water heater on its vacation setting. By installing a Trane ComfortLink™ remote control thermostat, you can use your smartphone to turn your air-conditioning setting down so you can return home to a nicely cooled house.
  7. Make your house looks lived in by putting some lights on timers. Be sure to schedule them at normal times, but if you can, schedule them randomly so it won’t look like you’re using timers. If you’d like to remotely control your lights, explore the Schlage LiNK™ home automation system. Close blinds and drapes to keep valuables out of sight. Leave a TV or radio on so it sounds like someone is home.
  8. Disconnect the garage door so that it cannot be remotely operated. Typically, there is a handle you can use to lock the door.
  9. Last but not least, lock all doors and windows throughout the house. Every entry door should have a Schlage Grade 1 deadbolt, including the door between your garage and house. If you have a freestanding garage or shed, consider installing a Schlage cable lock or padlock.

For over 90 years, Schlage has been dedicated to ensuring your home security with the most reliable professional security locks and deadbolts. Check out our full product line of door locks, including digital door locks, keypad door locks, deadbolt locks, and door knob locks to find the right ones for your