Although not as much, over the next few weeks people will be traveling either on vacation or visiting relatives. For some those are the same, for some not so much. Either way, you will be leaving your home so you want to take some steps to kep is save in your absence.
Either stop your mail or have a neighbor pick it up. If you stop it, just contact the post office and give them the dates, they will deliver it the day you return home. There are two reasons for doing this. First, you do not want mail possibly containing personal information sitting in your mail box for an extended period of time. Second, if some sees mail going in but never out, it tips them off you are not at home.
You would want to do this if you recieve the newspaper as well. Newspapers piling up on the driveways is a also a signal you are not at home. Lights
Using a timer on your lamps inside as well as on outside lights is a good idea. This serves two purposes. First, it makes it appear you are at home. Second, light is usually a deterrent for a burglar. Motion lights on the outside are a good idea as well.
Freezer
This is a little trick I learned from the internet and I think it could save you some problems. Take a small container and fill it with water then freeze it in your freezer. Before you leave, place a quarter at the top. When you return, as long as the quarter is still on top, you know you have not had an long lasting power outages. If its down under the ice, then you know there has been a power outage and chances are the items in the food in the freezer also thawed.
A/C and Heat
While you are not at home the house does not need to be cooled or heated as much. Of course unless you have pets. Turn the AC up to about 79 and the heat down to 69. If might be uncomfortable for a little bit when you get back but your electric or gas bill won't be as uncomfortable.
Check In
Have trusted family, friends or neighbors check on your house for you. Just a quick look inside and around the house to see if anything is out of place or any problems exist.
An example of how this can be a good idea happened at my parents house. Now they have had the same great neighbors for a long time so they always look out for each other. I recived a call from him telling me water was coming out of the backyard. Well, they have a pool so I had no idea what was going on. When I arrived, I found out a pipe from the irrigation system had cracked so when the sprinklers came on, water was flooding the yard. But I was able to reach my Dad and he told me how to turn off the system so it would not come on again. If it had not been for their neighbors, the yard could have flooded pretty bad.
Taking these simple steps can be helpful and relieve that worry when while you are away. Have a great vacation and enjoy your time with family.
Mike Miller
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