A staggering number of permanent Los Angeles residents are “transplants”, a term indicating that they were not born in California. Therefore, when the holiday season comes along, we witness a mass exodus from the city the likes of which we won’t see again until the first weekend of Coachella. Those anchored to LA may enjoy the open highways left in the wake of holiday travel, but residents leaving their homes and apartments behind need to be extra vigilant. If you’re leaving town for the holidays, here are a few steps you can take to give yourself some much-needed peace of mind.
(1.) Make Sure That Entry Isn’t Easy
The holidays are a hot time for home invasions. And holiday travel only fuels that fire. Therefore, one of the most important steps an LA homeowner can take before hitting the road for the holidays is securing all home entry points. Doors (even sliding glass ones) and windows need to be locked. You may even want to use a dowel or security bar to give sliding glass doors and windows some reinforcement. Perimeter gates need to be locked as well. If you’re an LA homeowner with a security system or a smart lock, confirm that everything is online, alerts are properly set, and that all system updates have been downloaded before you leave.
(2.) Bringing Home Security to Light
Lights off for several nights in a row is possibly the clearest indicator of a vacant home. If you don’t want to waste energy, invest in timers or smart bulbs to create the impression of activity in your absence. These systems have evolved to allow you to set daily variances, throwing off telltale patterns that savvy intruders could observe. But even if you don’t have the most state-of-the-art lighting system, a few well-placed exterior motion-activated lights are still among the most effective deterrents to home invaders.
(3.) Employ Energy-Saving Mode During Holiday Travel
During the holiday season, LA’s Mediterranean climate blesses us with hospitable weather. That being said, it’s possible for temperatures to dip into the 40s during the wee hours, meaning you won’t need to keep your home heated during holiday travel. But an LA homeowner shouldn’t completely shut everything down either. Your safest bet is to set your thermostat to an energy-saving mode (around 60 to 65°F) to prevent wasting electricity as much as possible while simultaneously protecting your home’s various systems. Likewise, check to see if your water heater has a “vacation” setting, since tank-style heaters are massive energy drainers.
(4.) Prevent Porch Pirate Pandemonium
Another dead giveaway that an LA Homeowner is away on holiday travel is a steadily growing mountain of packages at the front door. That’s, of course, if porch pirates haven’t gotten to them (and that’s a pretty big “if”, honestly). Either way, it’s a good idea to pause USPS deliveries before heading out for an extended holiday vacation. You could also ask a trusted neighbor or friend if they wouldn’t mind collecting your mail and parcels while you’re away. In addition, if you’re expecting a lot of deliveries while you’re gone, you could arrange for them to be redirected to a nearby pickup facility for when you return.
(5.) Be Prepared for an LA Winter
This feels like the fourth blog we’ve written this month that stresses the importance of cleaning your gutters and downspouts. So, if this isn’t a sign from the universe, it’s at least a sign from JohnHart. We’re just getting into the typical rainy season in Los Angeles, so any LA homeowner with clogged gutters will be doing their roof (and, by extension, their wallet) a solid by cleaning those gutters pronto. And if you’re in a wind-prone area? Secure and store loose furniture, lawn decorations, and the like – just in case.
(6.) Unplugging for the Holidays
If you have appliances plugged in that don’t need to remain plugged in, be sure to unplug them before you hit the road. This not only cuts down on wasted electricity but also reduces the chance of a fire breaking out. Using power strips can make this process much more efficient. Appliances that you can likely unplug before holiday travel include:
- Chargers
- Computers
- Kitchen devices (counter top only)
- Televisions
(7.) Leave Someone to Man the Fort
Finally, it pays to have a trusted contact staying connected with you in case of emergencies back home during your holiday travel. It could be a neighbor, a friend, or a family member, just as long as it’s someone responsible. If you go the whole nine yards by employing a house sitter, ensure that you leave them detailed instructions for security systems, sprinklers, and any ongoing maintenance. There’s perhaps no greater peace of mind to the holiday traveler than having a trusted person manning the homestead while you’re away.
Be a Proactive LA Homeowner When You Travel
If you’re an LA homeowner, proactively taking as many of the steps above as possible will help you conserve energy while protecting your property for a more care-free holiday travel experience. Coming home to a ransacked or severely damaged home from negligence can take the wind out of your seasonal sails in an instant. Ensure a smooth landing on your return by taking these simple precautions now!
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
