Let's Protect Both Yourself and Your Home

Most people frequently travel to popular vacation spots, or to visit friends, while others spend part of the year in warmer climates. Almost everyone is likely to be away from their home several days or weeks at a time for business or pleasure.

Over the past 25 years of owning homes and apartments, the owner of a home watch company, as well as managing and taking care of other peoples' property for them. I have experienced and learned a lot. Here are a few common truths I've learned about being away from your home for a while.

Truth #1: While it's always good to return home from a vacation or seasonal residence, occasionally upon returning home, some people find their Wisconsin residence in a condition other than the way they were left due to mechanical problems or, in some situations even burglary or vandalism.

Truth #2: Homes that are left unattended for extended periods of time seem to have greater frequency of problems, and the problems that arise are sometimes made worse because they are not dealt with before small problems have a chance to grow.

In talking to people about my business, the most common thing I hear is that while people are away, they are planning to have friends, relatives or neighbors check on their property. While neighbors and friends often agree to check on the properties, they don't always have the ability to recognize the early signs of problems or the time to do an extensive inspection while you're away.

Remember, they typically have plenty to do during their day already. If they make it through the day or week with no unplanned interruptions to their schedule, and they remember, this is when they are able to check on your property. With all good intentions they will walk in the door feel the temperature, and if it feels warmer than the outside they take a cursory trip around the main living areas, then turn around and walk back out to finish their day or week.

Truth #3: There are a host of potential problems that can easily go un- noticed. Examples of this include the operation of your refrigerator, plumbing failures, tripped circuit breakers, pest invasion, roof leaks, vandalism, etc. When it's your own home, you take notice of little things that don't seem quite right even if it's subconscious. A friend or neighbor often doesn't notice those things.

Aside from having your home monitored by a professional, there are many things you could do yourself to make your return home more enjoyable. It's interesting to note that when people buy a boat or a camper, or even a collector car and are ready to put them away for the season people automatically think of protecting them by winterizing properly. But when it comes to protecting one of their biggest investments, they sometimes don't think twice. They turn the heat down and lock the door behind them as they walk out the door, without taking the measures to make sure that it will be in the condition they nevertheless expect upon their return.

I have put together just a few suggestions for your consideration. Let me preface this however by maintaining that I am convinced that these steps should compliment, rather than take the place of a professional home watch company. I'll share more about that later. Here are some common sense suggestions that often get over looked.

Let's start with your kitchen.


 Clean each appliance thoroughly with sudsy water, rinse and dry. Leave appliances unplugged while you are gone to protect from electrical current surges.


 Give away or toss opened bottles and jars of salad dressings, condiments, etc., in the refrigerator. It will cost less to replace them if you are gone 2 or 3 months than to run your refrigerator. Clean the refrigerator interior with a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda to 1 quart of water. This will neutralize food soils and prevent odors. The refrigerator and freezer doors should be left ajar to prevent mold.


 Flour, sugars and salt should be stored in tightly sealed containers. Dispose of cereals, crackers and pastas to avoid unwanted pests.


 Remove any food particles from the filter if one is present in the bottom of the dishwasher. Then run the dishwasher through a short cycle. A few minutes into the cycle, turn off the dishwasher, open the door and clean out around the door gasket and under the bottom of the door to remove any dirt that might create mold in these areas. Restart your dishwasher finishing the cycle. After the cycle is finished leave the door ajar, this will help with air flow and reduce the possibility for mold forming. It will also release the pressure on the door seal making it last longer.


 Clean the garbage disposal in your sink by running a batch of ice cubes from the freezer. This will loosen built up food particles. Also run a solution of baking soda and water through the disposal and leave the stopper in place to prevent water from the trap beneath the disposal from evaporating. Make sure all drain stoppers are closed.

Let's move on to the bathrooms and laundry room.


 Clean all surfaces and fixtures. Cover toilet and tank top with a plastic wrap. Water from toilets can evaporate. If all water evaporates, sewer gas can back up into the home. Turn off the water supply to the clothing washer to eliminate pressure damage to the hoses. Clean the lint filter in the dryer.

There are a few other important items you should consider.


 Turn the water heater off if you will be gone for a month or more. For shorter absences, turn the thermostat to its lowest setting. Vacuum upholstered furniture (even crevice areas) well. If there are spots and stains, remove or clean before closing the home. Use commercial upholstery cleaner, and follow directions carefully.


 You may want to consider vacuuming mattresses thoroughly and covering lightly with a sheet to allow proper air flow.


 Allow space between garments for circulation of air. Do not wrap garments or other items tightly in plastic. This may increase mildew and other problems. Metal hangers, even when covered with paper, can rust and stain clothing. Get rid of them! Plastic or wood hangers are a must. Leave closet doors and dresser drawers open to allow for air circulation.


 Turn off water at the meter and back drain if possible. This will help prevent flooding if a pipe should break.

Now for one of the biggest mistakes people make is not leaving their furnace in good condition. To assure the continued effective operation of your furnace and air conditioner, and to prevent excessive energy use, follow these suggestions.


 You should change your filters or if you have washable filters, wash them. Before you leave is a very good time for a furnace/air conditioner check-up by a professional. A professional check-up will clean the blower wheel and coil, check the temperature drop, adjust tension on belts, check the thermostat, inspect wiring and connections, and check the operation of motors.

Another often over looked area is the exterior of your house.


 The grading of the ground should move rain water away from the house.


 Landscaping, around the foundation of a house should be placed far enough away from the home (two feet or more) to permit air to flow freely, and prevent vandals from a place to hide from sight.


 Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. Check gutters and downspouts for damage. Observe during a heavy rain or run a water hose down them to see if water is flowing freely.


 Look for gaps between windows or doors and walls, using caulking to fill in were needed. Replace broken or cracked putty as well as weather-stripping that is loose or damaged.

Whether you will be away from your home for a short or long period, it pays to plan for protection of your home and possessions from burglars or intruders. The best defense is prevention. Both amateur and professional burglars are likely to bypass homes that appear to have active residents. Your home should have a lived-in look.


 Mail, newspapers and other deliveries should be stopped or promptly picked up by a reliable service.


 A car parked in the drive or carport discourages burglars.


 Lights within a home should be placed on timers to simulate movement within the home suggesting normal activities.


 Window treatments should not make the house look closed-up, but should not permit easy viewing of valuables within the home such as electronic equipment and cameras.

If, in spite of your efforts to make your home look lived-in, a burglar decides to try to break in, don't make it easy. All doors should have secure locks. Sliding glass doors should have a bolt-type lock to prevent its being lifted out of its track, plus a jamming bar in the inside track. Burglars are eager to take items that have a ready market value. The value of items drops when they have some kind of identification, and can be traced to the original owner.


 Valuables such as jewelry, watches and other items should not be left behind when you leave. Place them in a safety deposit box. Cameras, electronics, silver and appliances should have your social security number, or name engraved on the bottom.


 Most homeowner insurance policies provide some protection against burglary. Don't take your insurance for granted. Check to see if theft protection is provided and if your valuables will be adequately covered.


 You may want to check with your insurance company to see if they offer discounts for booking with professional home watch company. Several clients receive such a discount.

If scaring you was my goal, I could give you plenty of examples I have heard from people about the extra hassles they experienced when it could have been avoided. Clearly some problems are going to arise regardless of how much preparation you do or how comprehensive your monitoring service is. A professional, home watch company will be able to help minimize these through early detection or by helping to rectify the problem before your return.

While it might sound cliché, I have to remind you of the old adage that say "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". At a reasonable cost you can……….

As the owner of Watchdog, I am a firm believer in outsourcing. All professional service companies are (or better be). And the fact is that home monitoring is our core business, while it is really just a chore for everyone else. A professional is always going to be more thorough because it our livelihood. Doing a better job at a competitive rate is what sets us apart from our competition and why I really want to help you avoid some of the problems that other people have had to experience first-hand. I would urge you to consider this option if you have more than one property to maintain or spend significant time away from your home.

A professional home watch company, like WatchDOG LLC uses a lengthy checklist to inspect homes on a regular basis. WatchDOG has over 25 years of property management experience. We have a full understanding of what is needed to minimize or eliminate your troubles while you're away. If you would need help with any or all of these needs please feel free to contact us at WatchDOG LLC. Every client is kept strictly confidential! You can visit us on line at www.watchdoghomewatch.com to see how we can further assist you. We are always keeping a close eye on your property.

Above all, leave the worrying to us and enjoy a relaxing vacation knowing your home is well protected.