Prepare Your Home for Holiday Travel
10 Things to Do Before Your Holiday Trip
Before your flight or road trip, use this checklist to get your house ready. Visiting family? Taking a tropical vacation?
Holiday travel time is here – and there’s plenty to remember to do before you leave home.
Before you head out the door, here’s a checklist:
Don’t post on social media
Avoid publicly sharing your plans before you go and announcing to the world that your house is empty. You can post all of your photos when you’re back.
Keep an eye on your home
Set up a security camera so you can see what’s happening at all hours.
Set your thermostat
If you have an older programmable thermostat, it is suggested you set your temperature to between 62 and 65 degrees while you’re away to save energy. With a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat, you’ll be able turn it back up to your desired temperature from your smartphone before you get home.
Make arrangements for mail
Put deliveries on hold or ask a neighbor to fetch it for you and do the same with newspapers, if you still get them delivered. Do not use the USPS web link to temporarily hold delivery if you are on a public WiFi (coffee shop etc)
Close up the house
Keep out unwanted guests like animals, bugs, bats, squirrels by making sure the fireplace flue is closed.
Clean out the refrigerator
Toss perishables and don’t forget to take out the trash.
Lock up valuables
Protect documents and files like medical and tax records, stocks, passports, birth certificates and checkbooks from fire and water in a waterproof, fire-rated file chest.
Unplug appliances
Save electricity by unplugging electronics like hair dryer, toaster, coffee maker and televisions. It may also prevent a fire.
Call credit card companies
Let your bank or credit card provider know that you’re going to be out of town so they should expect to see charges in unexpected locations.
Set up lights
To keep your house from looking dark, install timers on lamps in several rooms and set them to turn on and off at random times.
Sonitrol Security specializes in security systems for commercial businesses, construction, retail, industrial sites, warehouses, compounds, and restaurants. Whatever your security needs we can help you identify the best security technology and provide an integrated approach to protecting your business and your assets.
For more information, contact Joe Allen, Sonitrol Security of Delaware Valley at (302) 652-3060 or jallen@sonitrolde.com