Vacation Checklist
by David Barth, Written in 1987
Introduction
The following checklist may help you secure your home for the period of time that you will be away on a vacation, business trip, or other absence during which
no one will be living there. These suggestions are in no particular order of importance. This checklist does not consider the possibility of finding someone to live
in your home while you are gone, although that is a valid option to consider.
Vacation Checklist
- Find someone to maintain the outside of your home.
Find someone to maintain the outside premises of your home. This would include mowing your lawn during the summer and shoveling snow during the winter. This
may be a trusted neighbor, friend, or relative or you may choose to hire a reputable professional service. The intent here is to try to make the home look lived in
during your absence.
- Arrange for lawn watering.
If your vacation will be taken during the summer months and you have an automatic sprinkler system, set it to operate normally, otherwise arrange to have someone
water the lawn.
- Have someone pick up newspapers and mail.
Arrange for daily pickup of your newspapers and mail. This task may be most easily done by a trusted neighbor who lives nearby and will be home during your
absence. Even if you stop the paper and the mail, sometimes the delivery person will make the mistake of delivering. Also, fliers are often left on the door.
- Set light timers.
Set the automatic timers for the lights to turn on and off at the proper times.
- Set timers for the TV or radio.
You may also set an automatic timer to turn on a radio or television when you normally use it and then turn it off when you normally do. The volume should be loud
enough to be heard by someone nearby the outside doors and windows of the house. This is to give your home the appearance that someone is home.
- Give someone your house keys.
Give a duplicate set of the house key to a trusted neighbor who will be home during your absence, and ask the neighbor to periodically check your home. Also
provide the neighbor with instructions on how you may be contacted in an emergency.
- Notify the police.
Notify the local police department of your vacation dates and the name, address, and phone number of the neighbor who has the duplicate house key.
- Notify neighbors of when you will be gone.
Notify trusted neighbors of your vacation dates and ask them to keep watch on your home and to report any suspicious events to the police. Try to choose
neighbors whose homes have a view of yours. Ask them to copy down the license numbers of any suspicious vehicles parked near your home and the description
of any persons loitering near your home and report them to the police. If the neighbor owns a camera (or you can lend them one of yours during your absence) have
them take photographs of any suspicious vehicles or persons. At night, they will have to write down a description. Be sure never to ask anyone to do anything that
might put them in danger.
- Have someone take care of pets.
Arrange for pets left behind to be fed, watered, and taken care of during your absence. Also, if your pet has a large area to run in, place several pans or large bowls
of water around it so that if one accidentally gets tipped over, your pet will have another source of water. Some animals can be given enough food to last them many
days, but many animals will gorge themselves (many dogs, for example), usually with dangerous health effects.
Insure that the person who accepts the responsibility of taking care of your pets has been “introduced” to them and can enter your home without your presence. Some
pets get very disturbed if someone other than their owner enters the home when the owner is away. (Often, even the owner of a pet does not know how it will react to a
stranger entering the home in his absence.)
Give the person taking care of your pets a set of house keys if the pet lives inside the home. Also, provide them with the phone number and location of an emergency
pet hospital and the location and phone number of your regular veterinarian.
If it is unrealistic to have someone check on your pet and insure that it has sufficient food and water, then you should consider boarding your pet while you are away.
Check the Yellow Pages of your local telephone directory for pet boarding facilities.
- Anticipate unforseen emergencies.
Provide the person with a plan of action in the event of unforseen emergencies. Examples are:
- Loss of electrical power.
If the electricity goes off for an extended period, in cold temperatures the pipes may freeze. Also, the furnace in your home may not operate during a power
outage.
- Your home has been broken into.
- A fire occurs in your home.
- A pet gets sick.
- Set heating and cooling thermostats.
Set the thermostats on the furnace and air conditioner to settings that will provide the proper environment for pets, plants, and the home in general.
- Unplug appliances.
Unplug all appliances except lights and other items that must have power during your absence. This is especially important if you have pets in the house during
your absence. Pets may chew on electrical wires in frustration if you are gone for an extended period.
- Adjust window coverings.
Set the best position for the window coverings and drapes that give your home a “lived in” look.
- Lock up.
Lock all doors and windows. If your pets require a little fresh air, you may elect to leave a window slightly open, but install a lock or prop that will prevent the window
from being forced open from the outside.
Also, it would be a good idea to reference a companion paper that discusses home security.
- Park the car in the garage.
If one car is to be left in a multi-car garage, park it in the center of the garage to prevent burglars from parking their own vehicle in the garage and loading it up,
unseen.
Lock all cars in the garage so they cannot be entered or moved easily. Because many cars are targets for car thieves (sports cars and luxury cars in particular) if you
will be leaving such a car at home (or you don’t want anyone to steal the car), consider removing one or more critical parts of the car so that it will be very difficult for
car thief to start it. For example, it is easy to remove the distributor cap, plug wires (make sure you draw a diagram of the connection points so they can be put back
in their proper places), timing points, or electronic modules that control engine operation. (Check your telephone directory Yellow Pages for an auto mechanic who
can assist you in doing this if you do not wish to do it yourself.) Then hide these components or take them with you. The intent is to disable your vehicle.
Remember that the parts you remove can be replaced, and often, smart crooks can find parts to replace those you have removed, but most thieves will give up if they
cannot start a car in a short period of time. Even if you are able to prevent the removal of your car (assuming the crooks don’t show up with a wrecker and tow it away),
there is little you can do to keep anyone from getting into your car. Automobile door locks are notoriously easy to bypass (most car thieves can enter a locked car in
under five seconds), so you should remove all valuables including high-quality stereo systems.
Accept the fact that if a crook wishes to enter your car, he will, so maintain sufficient automobile insurance on the car you leave behind.
- Disconnect garage door openers.
Unplug or otherwise disconnect the power to the automatic garage door opener. Crooks have been known to use electronic devices capable of opening any electric
garage door.
- Lock the garage door.
Lock the garage door and take the key with you or leave it with a trusted neighbor.
- Set answering machine.
If you have a telephone answering machine, set it for normal operation so it does not give any hint that you are on vacation.
- Have someone pay your bills.
If you will be gone for an extended period, arrange to have trusted person pay your bills or prepay them before you leave.
- Get ideas from professionals.
Consult your local police department or security professional for any other security suggestions.
- Take care of house plants.
If you have houseplants that will require watering, have someone whom you trust water them. Remember to provide the person with exact instructions on the quantity
of water to be used on each plant and how often to water it. People who are unfamiliar with your plants may have a tendency of over-water them, and the result could
be a dead or dying plant when you return.
- Make sure you have sufficient insurance.
Review your insurance status to make sure that your house and its contents are sufficiently insured for loss.
- Gifts or payments.
While you are away, consider picking up some gifts for those persons who have agreed to help look after your house, pets, and plants. Or you may wish to pay them.
This will make them feel that you really appreciate their assistance, and they will be more likely to help you the next time you take a trip.
Conclusion
The intent of this paper is to provide ideas on how to keep your home safe while you are away. There is no guarantee that natural events such as flood, hurricane,
tornado, or heavy snow won't damage your home while you are gone. Also, if a crook really wants to enter your home, he can. Consider that the best door locks
won't stop a crook who uses a chain saw to cut through a frame-composition outside wall or employ a small explosive charge to blow open a door, wall, or window.
The rule of thumb is if someone wants in, they could gain entry, scoop up whatever they find, and exit your home in a matter of a few minutes. However, if a
house looks lived in, and the more difficult it is to enter, the less likely a crook will try to get in.
Disclaimer
These comments in no way suggest that your house will be safe if you follow any of the above suggestions. If you are unsure of what you need to do to protect your
home, consult a professional.
The contents of this booklet reflect the author's experience and results through research. The author is not engaged in rendering any legal or professional advice.
The services of a professional person are recommended if advice or assistance is needed. The author disclaims any personal loss or liability caused by utilization
of any information presented herein.