Are you getting ready to take family vacation? With the holidays upon us and travel something we are all likely to be planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have assembled some helpful tips to keep your home safe while you’re away.

Make your house look lived-in:

• Put a holiday home on your mail and newspapers
• Park your car inside the garage or at a friends/relatives house
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway occasionally so there’s activity at your house
• Set up a timer for your indoor and outdoor lights to ensure your home is well lit
• Take the necessary plumbing and electrical precautions to avoid coming home to a broken pipe
• Running appliances while you’re away is not only a needless expense, it could also lead to costly problems.

To avoid the possibility of an appliance breakdown while you’re away:

• Unplug small appliances and electronic devices
• Put the water heater in “vacation” mode or have a handyman come through and do a quick walk-thru
• Turn off water valves to the dishwasher, washing machine and all sinks
• Set your thermostat to a temperature closer to outside temps (warmer in the summer, cooler in the winter) but which still protects your plants, pets and furniture

Some additional things to consider doing before your vacation:

• Notify your credit card company and
• Let your home or property management security company that you’ll be out of town
• Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly and have new batteries
• Leave your emergency contact information with a neighbor
• Clean out your fridge and Dispose of any food that could go bad
• Take out the kitchen trash – especially anything that might start to stink
• Run your garbage disposal with a half-cup of vinegar and some water

If you’re going out of town and your rental home will be unattended to, reach out to your property management company to assist with ensuring it’s protected while you’re away!