Safety First: Home Safety Tips and Advice

When You're Not at Home

Whether you're just gone for the day, or for an extended time (vacation, business trip), there are a number of easy ways to make sure your home and belongings are safe when you're not around.

When You're Away

Strive to make your home look as lived-in as possible while you're away. Arrange for a trusted neighbour or friend to pick up your mail and do other things to make your home look occupied like shovelling snow,mowing the lawn, or moving your car from one spot to another in the driveway.

Safety Checklist

  • Don't broadcast your plans but do let your neighbors and local law enforcement know.
  • Give a spare key to your neighbors and give them an emergency telephone number to reach you.
  • Arrange to have your mail and newspapers either stopped or picked up daily.
  • Have someone mow your yard or rake the leaves so your house looks lived-in.
  • Use automatic timers to turn on a radio and lights at different intervals to hide the fact you aren't home.
  • Turn down the ringer on the telephone. An unanswered telephone is a dead give-away.
  • Be sure you don't announce your absence on your answering machine message.
  • Leave your blinds like you normally would if you were home. Only close them all the way if that is what you would normally do.
  • Be sure to close and lock the garage as well as any storage sheds, gates, etc.
  • Engrave all your valuables with your driver's license number.
  • If possible videotape the contents of your home. Be sure to keep the video and the list of valuables in a safety deposit box.
  • Ask your neighbor to occasionally park in your driveway.