Button up your house!

With the cooler months and holidays quickly approaching, many people are planning to travel to see family or friends. Others use the cold weather as the impetus to book a cruise or vacation to sunnier climes. What should you do to keep your house safe and sound when you are gone for an extended period of time?

Regardless of where you are going, if you plan to be away from your home for more than a day or two, make sure to prepare for your departure and smooth return.

Keeping your home safe from intruders

While it is not likely that someone would break in while you are gone, it’s still important not to “advertise” your departure by making it obvious that no one is home.

To prevent prowlers, before you leave:

• Check your security cameras to be sure they are working and are not blocked by bushes or other obstiontrucs. If you don’t have security cameras, consider installing one or two. These days, cameras are wireless and much easier to install by the homeowner.

• Set up a timed lamp or two inside your house with multiple on/off times to give the appearance of occupancy.

• Consider leaving a car parked in the driveway.

• Leave curtains and blinds partially closed so that it’s not easy to look inside, but also not obvious that no one is home.

• Have a neighbor pick up mail and packages. Or, stop the mail temporarily.

• If you are gone for a longer period of time, you may want someone to pop inside occasionally to turn on different lights, open different curtains and have activity noted at your house. (They can water your houseplants and just make sure you have no unexpected water leaks, power failures or other problems.) 

• Make sure you have that neighbor or trusted friend’s contact information so you can contact them if you have concerns and they can contact you if something happens while you are gone – think storm damage or a broken water pipe.

Other Intrusions:

It’s not just prowlers that you want to discourage when you are gone, it’s also important to set up your house before you leave, so that you don’t unnecessarily risk damage, waste energy or have to face unpleasant odors when you return.

For safety and comfort’s sake, before you leave:

• If you are home during a very cold spell, leave a sink on with a little drip so that water circulates throp you out with this.

• Check that yard and garden items are secure so that they won’t be damaged or cause damage in a storm.ugh your house. If you are away, your trusted neighbor or family member may be able to h

• Make sure to run the dishwasher and put dishes away before you leave.

• Empty all garbage cans and even recycling bins to the outside receptacles. (If you are going to miss a garbage day, perhaps a neighbor can set out and take in your cans. Besides, that’s another sign of activity at your house and in some areas, keeps the bears and other animals from being attracted to your trash.)   

• Discard openly stored fruit and bread. That apple that looks good today will be smelling and attracting bugs in a week. Clean out the coffee maker. Coffee grounds or used K-cups from your coffee maker can grow mold if left too long.

• Make sure your kitchen sink and disposal are clean before you leave. With daily use, things get flushed away, but it doesn’t take long for parts of last week’s dinner to cause odors or plug drainpipes if not cleaned.

• Unplug all counter appliances such as coffee makers, toasters and kettles. They can draw a little energy, even when off. This also reduces fire hazards.

• Consider unplugging the microwave.

• Of course, never unplug a refrigerator or freezer. However, depending on the length of your stay, you may want to throw out milk and other quick-to-spoil items.

• Switch off non-essential electronics such as a desk computer, TV, game consoles, phone chargers and routers. They can also draw electrical energy.

• Lower the thermostat a few degrees to save on your electrical or energy bill.

• Consider turning your water heater down or off.

• Depending on the length of your stay away, keep clothes closet doors ajar to allow some air circulation. There are also products to put in closets that draw in moisture which helps reduce mold growth.

• Don’t leave wet or dirty laundry in a heap in the laundry basket (or floor) to invite mold, mildew and their accompanying odors.

• Turn off the tap(s) to the washing machine to reduce the possibility of a hose bursting while you are away. It is also good practice to use metal braided washing machine connection hoses. Lastly, leave the lid up, or at least open a little, on the washing machine to reduce mold and odors.  

• Treat yourself! Consider making up your bed with fresh sheets to return to after your time away. 

• Finally, remember to turn on the hot water heater, washing machine taps and turn up the thermostat first thing when you return!

Eric Bjella is the executive director of NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor; a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing opportunities for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, housing counseling, homebuyer education and financing, call 360-533-7828, listen to the extension picks that will best help you and leave a callback name and number.

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