Are you planning to head to south this winter? Like many residents of Michigan, you may seek a warmer climate for the long winter months. To protect you and your property while you are away, please take note of a few essentials items to take care of before you leave.
Safety Tips:
- Suspend your newspaper and mail delivery or have a neighbor collect them for you. This will avoid a pile of that may alert anyone up to no good.
- Make sure your home looks lived in. Try not to draw the window treatments in every window, leave it looking somewhat natural.
- Have someone routinely shovel the walk, clear your car off if it snows, or park their car in your driveway if you're taking your vehicle with you.
- Don’t forget garbage collection day. Ask a neighbor to put a bag of garbage at your curb on garbage day so not to tip off burglars looking for vacancy.
- Set your lights on timers, in various rooms. With some timers, the lights go on and off at different times each day, avoiding a noticeable pattern.
- Look into installing motion sensor lights outside in the front and back of your home.
- Be sure to check that all of your doors and windows are locked and secure and don't forget about the garage door! For additional security, place a bar or stick of wood in the lower track of your sliding doors or windows.
- Turn off the water-main and unplug the major appliances as an added precaution.
- Inform a neighbor when you're leaving and returning, and ask them to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Leave them a phone number where you can be reached, and a spare set of your keys in case of an emergency.
- Consider investing in a home security system, this is a very effective deterrent. When looking for their targets, thieves usually select an unoccupied home with the easiest access. Why not make it difficult for them? A home protected by a monitored security system is less susceptible to a break-ins than one without a system. Security system decals and signs are also a simple way to deter possible burglaries. The best security systems includes a loud inside alarm, detectors on all exterior doors, and motion sensors in the master bedroom and main living areas.
Don’t let your relaxation from your time away go to waste! We want you to be sure that your property is protected whether you’re here or away. If you’d like to get some more advice, give our office a call. Remember, we’re your friends in the insurance business!