Who Can Get Into Your House When You're 1,000 Miles Away?

Who Can Get Into Your House When You're 1,000 Miles Away?

You're sitting by the pool in Florida, enjoying the sunshine, when your phone sends you an alert.

The temperature inside your house has dropped to 43 degrees.

It's freezing back home, and your furnace has apparently stopped working.

You know there's a problem. That's good.

But you're 1,000 miles away.

**Who are you going to call, and can that person actually get into your house?**

That's something I'd much rather have you figure out before you leave.

Your neighbor needs more than your phone number

Maybe you've already asked a neighbor to keep an eye on your house while you're gone.

That's a great start.

But let's think about what happens if something actually goes wrong.

Your neighbor sees water running out from under the garage door. Or your temperature monitor sends an alert that the house is getting dangerously cold.

Can they get inside?

Do they have a working key or door code? Do they know where your main water shutoff is? Do they have the phone number for your heating contractor?

If the answer is no, they're going to have a pretty difficult time helping you.

Before you leave, take a few minutes to walk through the house with the person you've asked to watch it.

Show them what they need to know, and make sure they can actually get through the door.

Give them a simple emergency plan

You don't need to put together a three-ring binder.

A single sheet of paper with the important information is plenty.

Include:

• Your phone number and a backup contact

• The address and phone number of your preferred heating contractor

• The name and phone number of your plumber

• Where to find the thermostat

• Where the main water shutoff is and how to operate it

• Any instructions for your alarm or monitoring equipment

• The name and phone number of a second person who can help if your first contact isn't available

Keep a copy somewhere your helper can access it.

And if you have a garage or smart lock code, test it before you leave. Don't assume it still works because it worked six months ago.

Make sure somebody actually goes inside

There's a difference between driving past your house and checking on it.

If you're going to be gone for several weeks or months, arrange for someone to go inside periodically.

Ask them to make sure the heat is working, look under sinks and around the water heater for signs of leaks, and check for anything unusual.

If you have a basement with a sump pump, that's another area worth checking.

And if there's been a power outage or a particularly severe storm, ask them to check sooner rather than waiting for their next scheduled visit.

What should happen when an alert comes through?

Let's say your temperature monitor reports that the house is down to 43 degrees.

Your helper should be able to get inside, confirm the temperature, and determine whether the furnace is running.

If the heat isn't working, they can contact your heating contractor and arrange access for repairs.

While the problem is being addressed, opening cabinet doors beneath sinks along exterior walls can help warmer room air reach the pipes, provided the house still has heat.

Now imagine the alert is coming from a water sensor.

Your helper can check the affected area, look for an obvious leak, and shut off the main water supply if that's appropriate for your home's systems.

They can also call your plumber and let you know what's happening.

The point is to have someone who can take action instead of someone who can only tell you there's a problem.

What if your helper is out of town, too?

This is why I like having a backup.

Maybe your neighbor has a family emergency. Maybe they're sick. Maybe they decided to take a vacation of their own.

Choose a second person who can step in if needed.

Make sure that person also has a way to enter the house and knows where to find the emergency information.

If your monitoring devices allow you to add multiple people to receive alerts, consider including your backup contact.

Don't assume your smart devices will always work

A temperature monitor or water sensor can be a wonderful thing to have.

But some devices depend on electricity, Wi-Fi, or an internet connection.

If the power goes out, your furnace could stop working at the same time your monitoring equipment loses its connection.

Before you leave, find out how your devices behave during an outage.

Do they have backup batteries? Can they communicate without Wi-Fi? Will you receive a notification if a device goes offline?

If you lose contact with your monitoring equipment, that's a good reason to ask your helper to check the house.

Have this conversation before you pack your bags

If you're leaving for a weekend, you probably don't need the same arrangements as someone who's spending four months in Florida.

But no matter how long you're gone, it's worth knowing who you'd call if something happened at home.

If you're going to be away for the winter, I'd make a point of walking through the house with your helper before you leave.

Show them the water shutoff. Test the door code. Give them the contractor information. Arrange for regular checks.

And make sure you have a backup.

One question before you go

If your phone told you tonight that something was wrong at your house, **could somebody you trust get inside and do something about it?**

If you can't answer that question, you've just found one more thing to take care of before your vacation.

It only takes a little planning now, and you'll be awfully glad you did it if something happens while you're away.