Protect Your Home While Traveling

burglar proof home

Protect Your Home While Traveling

Going out of town for the holidays? We hope you have a marvelous time with friends and family! To ensure your trip goes well and your home is safe and sound, protect your home from water damage and theft.

Protect Your Home from Water Damage

One of the most dreaded (but unfortunately common) problems that can happen when you leave town for an extended period of time is freezing pipes. This happens in Charlotte far more often than you would believe, but our busiest time of year is January and February for this very reason. A cold snap happens, and with that drop of temperatures comes frozen pipes, which then burst, resulting in horrendous water damage.

Before you leave town, take the following steps:

  • Open up cabinets to pipes so that warm air can circulate to the pipes and prevent them from freezing.
  • Set your home’s thermostat to no colder than 55 degrees fahrenheit. This is especially essential if you will be gone for more than a week and if temperatures are going to drop below freezing while you are gone.
  • Show someone trusted where the water main shut off valve is. If you have a petsitter checking in on pets or a housesitter, they should definitely know where the shut off valve is. If the house will be empty, make sure a trusted neighbor or relative knows when you will be gone, how to get into the house in case of an emergency, and how to shut off the water.
  • If temps are going to be very low (under freezing for more than 24 hours), have someone leave a tiny trickle of water running. The water bill is much less than the cost of water damage from burst pipes.

burglar proof homeBurglar Proof your Home

Before you travel, increase your home’s security by taking the following inexpensive measures:

  • Install deadbolt locks on your front and back doors. Deadbolt locks are inexpensive and make it much harder for a thief to break in.
  • Install and use drapes, curtains or blinds. Thieves case house to see if you’ve got anything worth breaking in for. Hide valuables and close those blinds when you’re not home!
  • Set your lights and TV on a timer so it looks and sounds like you are home.
  • Secure sliding doors with a wooden dowel.
  • Tell a trusted neighbor when you will be gone and ask they to keep an eye on the house. Give them your number. Call or text them while you’re gone and ask them if they’ve seen anything suspicious.

Need a Charlotte Plumber While Traveling?

If you have a plumbing emergency while you are out of town, give us a call at 704-846-5371 and let know what neighbor will be a contact to let us in. We have a stellar reputation and hire only reliable, trustworthy plumbing technicians. Check our reviews and get to know our company.

Article Summary

Quick question & answer: What is the best way to burglar proof my home while traveling?

The best way to burglar proof your home while traveling is to take several protective measures before you leave. Install deadbolt locks on front and back doors to make it harder for a thief to enter. Install and use drapes, curtains, or blinds so thieves can’t look in at your possessions. Also, secure your sliding doors with a wooden dowel.

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