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Milo1952 · 03-16-2018, 08:51 PM

My wife and I were having a discussion as to what measures should be taken to secure our primary residence from Burglary. or even squatters coming into our house and changing all of your locks forcing you to take legal action to regain possession of your own property. This happens more often than you might think.
I would like to hear the communities thoughts on this ,as I am relatively new to
the Airstream lifestyle having only 1 season under my belt.
What do you all do to protect your empty homes when you are traveling for extended periods of time. What are the steps you take before traveling,

Thanks
Milo1952

VaTravelers · 03-16-2018, 09:07 PM

Alarm your house. Enlist a neighbor to keep an eye on your home. Find a reliable gardener to keep your yard up.

rmkrum · 03-16-2018, 11:25 PM

Live in a community that has a security patrol and nosy neighbors. I get “saw someone in the driveway” calls every time a strange vehicle pulls in. Usually it’s jus me or a relative in a different car....but I cultivate and reward watchfulness regularly! And reciprocate in kind. Both my neighbors and I have driven off leaving garage door open, and we will investigate, then shut the door from outside. Just the right thing to do.

Wconley · 03-17-2018, 12:46 AM

Let your neighbors know and we installed Blink cameras. The cameras give my cell phone a notice whenever anything moves within their field of vision. I can then review the video capture and call police if needed.

SteveSueMac · 03-17-2018, 01:12 AM

Totally agree with good neighbors and cameras that text you when there's movement. The downside is that on a trip, I once called my hometown police based on video of an unknown vehicle parked in front of my driveway - and it was someone we knew in a vehicle we didn't know. That was a little embarrassing but better safe than sorry.

We're in a semi-nosy neighborhood where 2 of the people on our cul-de-sac are police officers. We keep an eye out for each other and also close garage doors when neighbors leave them open by mistake.

OTRA15 · 03-17-2018, 05:19 AM

Good comments so far. A basic security system is a great investment that pays for itself over time IMO. Besides the obvious, it can include low-temp alarms, propane alarms, small panic buttons to place around the house for old folks who might fall, etc. etc..

Good neighbors are paramount. Also contractors who can respond to an emergency like a plumbing freeze/leak, etc..

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link . . .

**Rocinante** · 03-17-2018, 05:37 AM

Don’t forget the basics: a highly rated set of locks for your doors, such as Medeco locks from Assa Abloy. They are expensive, but they are quite resistant to typical attacks such as picking and bumping.

Lily&Me · 03-17-2018, 05:46 AM

Inform your neighbors and your mail person, hire a service to keep your yard up, have a trusted someone make a periodic check of the inside if you are going to be gone for an extended time period.

Maggie

Bruce B · 03-17-2018, 05:58 AM

We installed Nest thermostats and a couple of Nest cameras before we took a trip around the USA last year.
We could bump home temperatures when we saw cold weather coming and we had a 24 hour video picture of both the outside of our home and much of the interior with alerts too.
A bonus is that now that we are home, we can watch our dogs play when we head out.
Bruce

**Rocinante** · 03-17-2018, 06:13 AM

Oh, and check with your insurance company to be sure you know how long you can be away from home at one stretch without violating the terms of your policy. Yup, that’s a thing. You can probably update your policy’s terms to suit your traveling needs, at a price.

Isuzusweet · 03-17-2018, 06:21 AM

Have your kids never leave home. My kids protect their right to steal my treats from all others.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

VaTravelers · 03-17-2018, 07:38 AM

I forgot to mention besides having a security contract post the company signs around the property and on doors and windows. Most burglars are risk adverse.

TheGreatleys · 03-17-2018, 07:46 AM

Haven't seen house-sitting on this list yet. There are a few websites for finding short and long-term house-sitters. We use them to find free locations for RV parking while traveling, usually in exchange for watering the plants and feeding the fish. But you can use to them to find someone to provide free security while you're away.

Cyclist · 03-17-2018, 08:06 AM

As others have said, we have good neighbours who look after each others property when away. I have a deal with my neighbour who looks after our house and clears the driveway from snow in exchange for storing his boat in our garage over the winter.

Silvr_Bullet · 03-17-2018, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce B

We installed Nest thermostats and a couple of Nest cameras before we took a trip around the USA last year.

We could bump home temperatures when we saw cold weather coming and we had a 24 hour video picture of both the outside of our home and much of the interior with alerts too.

A bonus is that now that we are home, we can watch our dogs play when we head out.

Bruce

Does the nest have the capability to let you know of an indoor temperature drop like in the case of a boiler/furnace outage? Thanks

Wayne&Sam · 03-17-2018, 08:23 AM

We use the Canary camera. It also monitors temp, humidity and air quality.

AWCHIEF · 03-17-2018, 08:28 AM

Locks the doors and have over priced expensive insurance. No worries. As to the unlikely prospect of squatters. Trespassers have the right to a funeral in my state.

Adventure.AS · 03-17-2018, 08:50 AM

If you live in a small town the local police department may have a house watch program. You may be able to complete a form/letter which gives the police the permission to enter your property if they observe something suspicious and question anyone they find there. The form/letter would include the names of those who have permission to be on your property and all others could be charged with trespassing.

OttawaValleyGuy · 03-17-2018, 09:24 AM

I put a large dog food dish and a pair of size 15 work boots outside my back door
I go away for six months a year, I get my neighbor to look thru my kitchen window to view my thermometer
I leave a partially filled water glass at various places that can be seen from outside
Have not had a problem in 12 years and I carry NO insurance

Gneiss Guy · 03-17-2018, 10:14 AM

I think the key things here are to have good neighbors, adequate insurance and keep the lawn and grounds looking trim. Cameras are a good idea, too. I don't think the money spent on expensive locks makes a lot of difference. As my late East Tennessee father used to say, "If a man has a stick of fire wood, he has a key to your house". Most homes, even if they have heavy-duty doors, have a vulnerable window somewhere.