For many Torrance residents, winter months often mean national holidays, and national holidays translate to 3-day weekends. These extended periods of rest are often great opportunities to head out of town for a quick trip. While it’s always nice to get away, don’t neglect your home while you’re gone. No lights, piled-up mail, and a general lack of activity can signal your absence to burglars. The last thing you want when you come home from a vacation is burglarized home.

Whether you’re planning a fun long weekend out of town or an extended trip later in the year, here are some quick and tips to keep your residence safe while you’re away.

Notify neighbors

If your community has a dedicated neighborhood watch group, notify them before you leave. It might be able to check on your house while you’re gone. Otherwise, you can let your immediate neighbors know of your absence ahead of time. Tell them how long you’ll be gone, if you’re expecting any visitors, and whether or not you need them to water the plants, pick up the mail, etc.

Time-control the lights

When you walk down your street at night, you inevitably notice any house that’s not lit up. It’s a sure-fire sign that this residence is currently unoccupied. If you’re going to be away for a few days, you don’t want your house to stay permanently dark. Instead, time-control your lights. Set them to come on at a particular time every night to give the illusion of your presence.

Resolve all outstanding household repairs

Most likely you’ve probably come home from a trip at some point only to discover that some household appliance or fixture has gone haywire. Whether it’s a gas leak, water heater drainage, or other issue, some accidents can be prevented. Make sure you protect yourself by resolving any outstanding home repairs ahead of time. Just call the most skilled plumber in Torrance a week before you leave. Ritz Plumbing can send out an expert to fix your problem, whether you live in the outer areas of The South Bay or near The Pacific Ocean.

Put your mail on hold

Neighbors can pick up your mail if you’re only going to be gone for a long weekend. However, for extended trips, consider putting your mail on hold. Simply contact the post office and advise of it of your upcoming absence. Tell it to hold your mail for required amount of time. You’ll probably have to go into a local branch and fill out a form, but this small step can prevent an overflowing mailbox, which is basically a thieve magnet.

Be careful what you post online

When we go on vacation, we all want to post photos across social media. After all, you’re having fun and you want to make your friends jealous :) However, post with caution. Many of us are connected with strangers online, and if the wrong person sees that you’re away and your home is vulnerable, he might take advantage of your absence. Instead, post updates judiciously, or restrict your privacy settings before you leave.