Lock Up Before You Leave
As the temperature continues to dip into the minus twenties and below, and spring break quickly approaches, for many of us thoughts turn to tropical vacations. Whether it’s Mexico, Cuba, California, Jamaica, Hawaii, or a cruise, a week someplace warm can be just the ticket for conquering those Canadian winter blues. Before heading to the airport, though, you need to make sure your home is safely secured both for your own peace of mind and to keep your insurance valid should anything happen.
Let’s start with insurance: first of all, make sure you have enough of it. Most banks require homeowners insurance as a condition of extending a mortgage, but it’s your responsibility to be certain your policy covers everything you own. Talk to your broker to review your coverage, especially if you have any especially valuable jewelry or collections – these may require specific riders to be covered at their full value. Once the policy is in place, take a video camera (or your phone) and walk throughout your home documenting everything in it: should you be broken into, this will help you discover if anything is missing, and also acts as proof of an item’s existence to the insurance company. Just don’t keep the only copy of this footage on your home computer, as that’ll probably be stolen if you were broken into; put a copy on Dropbox, Google Drive, or a similar cloud storage solution.
Also related to insurance is the need to have someone look in on your home regularly while you’re away. Most homeowners policies require someone check on your house at least every three days; read your policy documents to find out what your obligation is. If you’re away for an extended period and something happens to your house that doesn’t get discovered until you return, you may not be covered.
Otherwise, you simply need to ensure your home is as secure as possible, and that all essential systems are working properly. Have your furnace inspected annually, as if it decides to conk out during a cold snap while you’re away you may return to burst pipes and flooded property. Check the condition of your front and back doors and their locks, along with those of your garage if you have one. Lock all of your windows, pull the blinds, and put your lights on a timer if you can. Even if he won’t be the one physically checking on your home while you’re away, let a neighbour know you’re leaving; the more eyes looking out for suspicious activity, the better. Handyman and ‘doing it right’ guru Mike Holmes penned a good article in the National Post last year that has some additional tips.
Knowing your home is secure and your property is safe will be a huge load off your mind, and will help you truly relax on that beach, margarita in hand, without a thought of the Hoth-like temperatures awaiting your return. Have a great trip.
Tags: calgary real estate, calgary real estate market, cold calgary weather, home insurance, home safety vacation, homeowner insurance, lock up, Mike Holmes, National Post, need a vacation
