{"id":4477,"date":"2019-06-15T10:32:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-15T14:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/?p=4477"},"modified":"2020-06-03T08:39:57","modified_gmt":"2020-06-03T12:39:57","slug":"summer-home-safeguards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/15\/summer-home-safeguards\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer home safeguards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"summer<\/a>
Summer home safeguards (infographic from crime prevention pamphlet montgomerycountymd.gov\/POL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that the AAA estimates that there will be about 100 million Americans <\/a>who will take a family vacation this year (aaa.com)?\u00a0 If you\u2019re one of those millions planning a trip this summer, you\u2019re likely stressing over your plans.\u00a0 Some of that stress is certainly vacation planning, but some may be about leaving your home vacant for several or more days.\u00a0 Besides planning your vacation, you should also plan to \u201csummerize<\/a>\u201d your home by taking some summer home safeguards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like winterizing a vacant home before winter, summerizing is safeguarding your home while your away on vacation.\u00a0 And just like winterizing a home, summerizing is implementing a preventative plan to secure your home and possibly save a few dollars. Here are a few common knowledge ideas for summer home safeguards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To save a few dollars, many homeowners adjust the HVAC <\/a>thermostat while vacationing.\u00a0 Some even turn off the HVAC system.\u00a0 However, if you have a basement or cellar, consider adjusting the thermostat to a reasonable temperature (and\/or use a dehumidifier) to prevent mold growth in a dark and potentially humid area of the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your home will be vacant for an extended period,\nconsider unplugging \u201czombie\u201d appliances. \nZombie appliances are appliances that consume electricity even when they\nare not in use.  Many small appliances\nand internet connected appliances (such as your TV and other entertainment\ndevices) are included in this category.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest concerns while away is the\npotential of returning to a waterlogged home. \nA faulty valve or supply line can leak at any time.  If you\u2019re away, you obviously can\u2019t\nimmediately respond to this scenario.  Although\nsome home owners turn off the water at the main valve, this can interfere with a\nsprinkler system.  Most shut off specific\nvalves to appliances and fixtures.  Some\nvacationing home owners also shut off outside water hose bibs to prevent others\nfrom using water at their expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securing your home can deter burglars and\npests.  Although it\u2019s tempting to brag to\nyour friends about your vacation, refrain from posting about your plans on\nsocial media.  Store your valuables in a safe,\ninconspicuous place.  If you don\u2019t have a\nsecurity system, consider installing a camera and lighting system that can\nalert you of unexpected activity.  An\nexterior camera and lighting system can be a major deterrent.  However, interior cameras can also alert you of\na determined intruder so you can take appropriate action.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To deter mice and other rodents<\/a> from ransacking your home while you\u2019re away, ensure that the home\u2019s doors and windows are shut and secure.\u00a0 Also, make sure the exterior dryer vent cover is closed.\u00a0 Find and seal any holes where rodents can gain access your home.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also want to employ some common some summer home safeguards strategies that make it appear as if you never went on vacation<\/a>.\u00a0 Connect a few lights to a timer to give the impression that someone is turning on lights at night.\u00a0 Ask your neighbor or a friend to park in your driveway (or reserved space).\u00a0 Although stopping the paper and mail while on vacation may seem clever, some home owners have a friend or neighbor pick up the daily paper and mail.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common aspects of some summer home safeguards is having a trusted neighbor and\/or friend occasionally check on the home.\u00a0 They can ensure the home is secure, pick up any packages left at the door, and deal with any necessary maintenance (such as adjusting the thermostat).\u00a0 Spreading this responsibility among multiple \u201cguardians\u201d can make it less of a burden and increase the frequency of \u201ccheck-ins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many local police departments offer a home security survey<\/a>. Consider going through the survey to help with your planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Original located at https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/15\/summer-home-safeguards\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Dan Krell
Copyright \u00a9 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Disclaimer<\/a>.\n This article is not intended to provide nor should it be relied upon \nfor legal and financial advice. Readers should not rely solely on the \ninformation contained herein, as it does not purport to be comprehensive\n or render specific advice. Readers should consult with an attorney \nregarding local real estate laws and customs as they vary by state and \njurisdiction. Using this article without permission is a violation of \ncopyright laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Did you know that the AAA estimates that there will be about 100 million Americans who will take a family vacation this year (aaa.com)?\u00a0 If you\u2019re one of those millions planning a trip this summer, you\u2019re likely stressing over your plans.\u00a0 Some of that stress is certainly vacation planning, but some may be about leaving … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Summer home safeguards”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[178,419,68,247,84,568,13,220,1093,1043],"tags":[887,926,712,838,780,797,1094,1044],"class_list":["post-4477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-home-maintenance","category-home-owner","category-home-owner-tips","category-home-safety","category-home-security","category-preparedness","category-real-estate","category-security-system","category-summer-maintenance","category-vacation","tag-home-maintenance","tag-home-owner","tag-home-safety-2","tag-home-security","tag-preparedeness","tag-real-estate","tag-summer-maintenance","tag-vacation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1VZLf-1ad","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4477"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6004,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4477\/revisions\/6004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}