Looking After Your Home As A Frequent Traveller

I feel very lucky that I am able to travel fairly frequently and I know that before you even leave your front door, you have to do a lot of preparation, not only for the trip itself but also in making sure to keep your home safe while your away. 

Travel is, as many might say, food for the soul and can have a real positive effect on our overall wellbeing and there are a host of mental health benefits associated with travel. Whether you travel regularly for work or for leisure, chances are you value your time away just as much as you value your time at home. As important as travel may be to you, it’s easy to lose sight of the risks that come with it.

While we often plan for potential travel delays, one less-considered risk relates to the safety and condition of your home while you’re away. Your home doesn’t just freeze in place after you jet off and failure to properly prepare for being away so often can to costly consequences. So, with this in mind, what are some essential ways you can ensure your home is well-looked after during extensive and frequent periods of travel?

1. Security Measures

First, let’s tackle the most obvious, the risk of theft. With no one home, there is a potential of burglaries. If you’re leaving your home empty for extended periods of time, it may be worthwhile investing in some deterrents, such as a home alarm. Smart cameras and doorbell systems are great for this, as you can monitor them from your smartphone wherever you are, automatic outdoor lights are also a good buy. It is also worth telling someone you trust, perhaps a neighbour, family or friend, to check up on your house when your away, maybe visit once or twice to turn the lights on or off and to make it look like it's not just standing empty.

2. Routine Maintenance Tasks Before You Travel

It's also worth making sure that your appliances are well-maintained and regular upkeep is essential to preventing long-term damage while you're away. This is especially true for your central heating, which could freeze over if away while winter starts, or which could even spring a leak – water or gas.

It’s key that you organise routine maintenance, including your annual visit from a Gas Safe engineer. If you suspect your boiler’s nearing the end of its lifespan, now might be a good time to scout new boilers before you incur more costly emergency expenses.

A gas safety inspection helps identify leaks, faults, or worn parts early, reducing the risk of problems while you’re away. This extra check can give you peace of mind and help keep your home safe during your travels.

3. Managing Utilities Efficiently While Away

Even if your appliances are working as they should, you can encounter difficulties of a different kind. Keeping your home ticking over means priming your central heating to engage for a small amount of time each week, to ensure your pipes don’t freeze over – and may also require you to leave some appliances on standby for security. 

This can cost money, though, so shrewd management of your utilities elsewhere is important. Fixing leaky taps can save massively on water, if you’re on a metered supply; smart plugs can give you remote control over your devices too, and ensure you aren’t using energy you don’t need to use.

4. Don't advertise that you're away

If you're not having a family friend to stay at your house while you're away then don't advertise that over social media. If opportunists see your social media posts and know you're not going to be home, it's an invitation to people to damage or burgle your property. As said before, it's worth chatting to your neighbours and letting them know your away or getting someone to house-sit.