Your suitcase bulges in two places, but it closes. You have checked and double-checked the contents. Beach towels. Shorts. T-shirts. Sandals. Suntan lotion. It’s all there.
You prop the suitcase against the front door and move toward the kitchen. While pouring the morning’s leftover coffee into the sink, your eyes scan the room. Coffee pot off. Stove off. Sliding glass door locked.
Outside, the kids are in the car, honking the horn and blasting the radio.
You have been planning the details of your vacation for months, but did you remember everything? Before you make a break for the car, satisfied you’re prepared for the trip, ask yourself if your house is prepared to be left alone.
Most homeowners ask someone to bring in their mail and to water their plants while they are away. But additional steps may be needed to ensure the safety and security of your house and its contents: Some year-round safety practices should be checked before leaving town. Other measures should be added because you will be away from the house.
Police say that one of the most important safety measures for homeowners is to have good locks on the doors. They recommend a dual cylinder lock-one that requires a key on each side of the door. Sliding glass doors should be secured by placing an object in the track to prevent the door from moving, according to police.
Leave the AC on
Windows should not be left open for ventilation, even in the summer. If hot weather is expected, the thermostat should be set so the air conditioner will go on if it gets warm enough inside. “It is a telltale sign (that you are out of town) if it’s a very hot day and the house is locked up tight as a drum and the air conditioner is not on,” says Chicago Police Sgt. Jim Henderson.
Before leaving town in cold months, the furnace should be checked to ensure that it is functioning properly. In winter, homeowners should make arrangements for someone to shovel snow from their property. Heat should be left on to ensure that pipes do not freeze, says Glendale Heights Police Detective Mike Marron.
Before leaving your home, make a final check to ensure that electrical appliances, especially coffee pots, have been turned off and that cigarettes are not left burning, says Lt. Don Kopecky of the Schaumburg Fire Department. “As far as a furnace goes, if it’s a functioning furnace, you shouldn’t have to do anything to it before you leave.”
People who follow safety procedures year-round are unlikely to experience fires while they are away, he says. “The standard appliances, if they’re working properly, shouldn’t cause a problem just because they are left alone. Your chance of having something happen may even decrease when you’re out of town because you’re taking the human element out of it.”
The most important step for securing your home while you are away is to find a trusted friend or neighbor to check the house. The ideal situation, police say, is to find a friend to stay in the house in your absence. If such an arrangement isn’t possible, ask a neighbor to check the house at least once a day. Leave the neighbor information about how to reach you in an emergency.
“Having a good neighbor is usually the best burglary protection you can have,” Henderson says. “A nosy neighbor is a good thing when you’re out of town.”
The neighbor should go through the house, open and close drapes, turn on a radio, and make sure that the house looks occupied. “It’s always a good idea to cut your grass right before you go. That way you’re not asking your neighbor for too much,” Henderson says.
The radio should be connected to a timer and set to a station that features talking, not music. That will give the impression that people are home, he says.
Turn down the phone
The ringer on your telephone should be turned down, so that anyone listening from outside would not hear it. If you have a telephone answering machine, the message should not reflect that you are out of town.
If you have a security system connected to the house, make sure that the alarm company has information about whom to contact if you are out of town. “It should be someone who has keys and has the authority to act on your behalf,” Henderson says.
The lights in the house should be connected to two or three timers, to go on and off at different times and in different rooms, he says.
Gas lines to a natural gas grill should be turned off before leaving town, to prevent a leak or tampering, Henderson advises. Also, ask your neighbors to use your garbage cans to give the appearance that someone is there.
“If you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to disconnect the garage door opener and put a padlock through the rail so that it can’t be opened, Henderson says.
“Postpone any work that you’re going to have done to the house unless it’s (being done by) a very trusted person. You’re advertising your absence to his employees and you can’t check all of his employees,” Henderson says.
Outside attention
Outside lighting should be connected to timers and motion detectors, says Northbrook Police Sgt. Mike Green. “If someone comes crawling across your back yard (and the light goes on), they won’t know if it’s the homeowner who is now calling 911 or a motion detector.”
All of these tips are helpful, but what about your pets? There are pet-sitting services in the city and suburbs that will feed and care for your animals. In addition to providing companionship and care for your pet, these services add a human element to the home.
Cindy Halperin, an owner of Chicago Housesitting and Pet Care, says her pet sitters will take in mail and newspapers, turn on lights in different rooms and open and close drapes, in addition to caring for the pets. “Obviously if you leave a dog at home that’s one of the best deterrents to crime,” she says.
Prices are $9 per visit for one dog, $10 per visit for one cat, and $2 extra per visit for each additional pet. House checks, without pets involved, cost $8 per visit. “A lot of our clients who have pets and take their pets on vacation hire us to watch their house,” Halperin says.
Another source of security can be found at your local police department. Many suburban departments, including those interviewed here, will check on houses if owners request the service. Policies differ as to the frequency of the checks. They also will examine houses for safety features, at any time of the year, and give tips on how to improve safety. These services are usually free of charge.
According to Northbrook’s Green, homeowners should make the house look as if it is occupied. Leave a car parked in the driveway if you normally leave one there. However, if you normally leave a car in the garage, a burglar may notice that it is out of place in the driveway. Always load the car for vacation in the garage with the door closed. Always load the car for vacation in the garage with the door closed.
Security service
Green says that not enough residents call to ask for the village’s house watch and security survey services. “Too many times they contact us after they have been victimized. We try to get them to come to us before that happens.”
He stresses that homeowners should always be aware of their surroundings and pay particular attention during the weeks before a vacation. “If they see a car parked on their street and they have never seen the car before, think about it and call the police.
Police officials warn, though, that too much security can be dangerous. “We don’t tell people to make their houses a fortress,” Green says. “We have to warn them that they can go too far-such as the bars on windows. We never recommend that” because it could restrict their movement in a fire.
