Leaving on vacation? Beware. Experts say it's not enough to just lock up
The long weekend is coming up and many folks will be getting away. Don’t just close the windows, lock the door and leave. That could be a mistake.
Before you go, you might want to spend a bit more time around the house. A lot can happen while you’re gone and you need to protect yourself.
Some people might forget the obvious things, like taking out the garbage. How many times do you think folks would make that mistake?
“Once in a lifetime,” said Tim Kester, British Columbia general manager at Reliance Home Comfort.
Kester demonstrated things you should do.
“Clean out anything that might go bad,” he said while opening the fridge.
That doesn’t mean you have to throw it all out. You can freeze of a lot of stuff, like bread and milk, or give away fruits and vegetables.
More important than avoiding spoiled food is making sure you don’t come home to a soggy, water-logged, damaged home.
Shut off the water supply lines to the dishwasher, icemaker and taps.
Even the toilet can be a problem. Kester says hairline cracks can develop in the tank and if the water supply valve is not closed, it will run constantly until you return home. The safest way to handle it all is to shut off the water main valve.
Another precaution you should take is to unplug small appliances and electronics. It can protect them from power surges, prevent short-circuit fires, and save you money on your electric bill, as some appliances continue to draw power even when not being used.
A power strip comes in handy when you want to turn off many items with a single switch.
If you have air conditioning, you might want to turn it up a bit – Energy Star recommends between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius – but don’t turn it off. It could take forever to cool down when you return home. Leaving the AC on helps to control humidity too.
Security
Set your light timers. Some electronic timers have random functions, so if someone is casing your house your lights will not come on and turn off at the same time every day.
“Really minimizing signs that would show you’re not around,” explained Kester.
Forget about the vacation brag on social media. Thieves look for signs that you’ll be away and you don’t want to announce it. Try to save your vacation photos to post when you get home. If you do post regularly on social media, try to make it look like you’re still home with occasional generic post.
Other steps
Other steps to take include: appointing an emergency contact, letting your security monitoring company know that you’ll be away, having someone check on your home to water the plants etc., and be sure to hold your mail and deliveries.
Make a list of things in advance. It will make it easier for you and ensure you don’t forget something.
So that that when it’s time to relax, you really can, knowing you’re protected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.