Vacation Home Watch: How to Protect an Empty House While You Travel
The best way to protect an empty house while you travel is to make it look lived-in, remove the obvious signs that nobody is home, and have someone check the property in person on a schedule. Hold your mail, set lights on timers, lock every entry, and arrange home watch or patrol checks that report what they find.
Key takeaways
Piled-up mail, packages and dark windows are the clearest signs that a home is empty.
USPS Hold Mail can hold mail for 3 to 30 days, and you can request it online or at a post office.
The South Pasadena Police Department accepts vacation check requests, and officers make an effort to drive by when they can.
Private home watch or patrol checks add scheduled visits and written reports you can read while you are away.
Before you leave, give one trusted contact and your security provider the same written plan.
How do burglars tell that a house is empty?
Burglars tell that a house is empty by looking for signs of absence: mail and packages piling up, trash bins left at the curb, lights that never change, an empty driveway for days and overgrown landscaping. Social media posts about a trip can also tell strangers exactly when nobody is home.
Most of these signs are easy to remove. The goal is a home that looks normal from the street on every day of your trip, with nothing that shows a pattern of absence.
What should I do before leaving my home for a trip?
Before leaving your home for a trip, hold your mail, pause or redirect deliveries, set interior lights on timers, lock and check every door, window and side gate, store ladders and tools, and give a trusted contact a key and your travel dates. Then arrange in-person checks for longer trips.
Pre-trip checklist:
Request USPS Hold Mail, which can hold mail from 3 to 30 days.
Pause package deliveries or send them to a pickup location.
Put lights, and if you can, a radio or TV, on timers that vary.
Lock side gates, garage side doors and sliding doors; add a bar to sliders.
Make sure alarm contacts and cameras are working and someone can receive alerts.
Arrange trash bin pickup and lawn care on the normal schedule.
Avoid posting trip details publicly until you are home.
Do police do vacation house checks in South Pasadena?
Yes. The South Pasadena Police Department accepts vacation check requests online or at the police department, and officers make an effort to drive by or give extra patrol to homes while residents are away. These checks depend on calls for service and staffing, so they are a helpful extra, not a fixed schedule.
Many cities in the San Gabriel Valley offer similar programs. Ask your local police department or sheriff's station before you leave. If you need set check times, written reports or someone who can look at doors, gates and windows on foot, a private home watch or patrol service fills that gap.
What does a home watch or security patrol check include?
A home watch or security patrol check usually includes a drive-by or walk-around of the property, checks of doors, gates and windows, removal of flyers or packages from view, a look for signs of forced entry, water leaks or lighting problems, and a written report with the time and any photos.
| Check item | Why it matters | |---|---| | Front and side doors, gates | Catches forced entry early | | Windows and sliding doors | Common entry points on quiet streets | | Packages, flyers and door hangers | Clutter signals an empty home | | Exterior lights and timers | Dark homes stand out at night | | Hoses, sprinklers and visible leaks | Prevents damage while you are away | | Vehicles or people loitering | Noted and reported to police when appropriate |
Mobile vehicle patrol is a common choice for vacation checks. Overnight patrols are available in many areas; contact us to confirm for your address. Homeowners who want someone on site can consider a private home security guard.
How often should someone check an empty house?
How often someone should check an empty house depends on the length of the trip, the home's exposure and what is inside, but many homeowners choose at least one visible check per day and evening, with varied times. Longer trips, homes with past break-ins and homes on corner or hillside lots may need more.
Ask for checks at different times so no pattern forms. Read each report as it comes in, and decide ahead of time who will respond to a problem, such as a broken window or a door found open, while you are away.
What should South Pasadena homeowners do this holiday travel season?
South Pasadena homeowners traveling this holiday season should file a vacation check request with the police department, hold their mail, set lighting timers, secure side gates and sliding doors, and line up scheduled home watch or patrol visits with written reports. Share one plan with a neighbor and your security provider.
South Pasadena's tree-lined streets and older homes with deep side yards are beautiful, but side yards and rear doors are hard to see from the street. Make those areas part of every check. For local coverage, see our page on security services in South Pasadena, and compare options in our guide to mobile patrol vs. on-site security.
Frequently asked questions
How long can USPS hold my mail?
USPS Hold Mail can hold mail for a minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 30 days.
Should I tell my neighbors I am traveling?
Tell one or two trusted neighbors, ask them to watch for packages and unusual activity, and give them your contact information.
Is a camera system enough while I am away?
Cameras help, but someone has to watch the alerts and respond. In-person checks catch problems cameras miss, like an unlatched gate.
What happens if a patrol finds a problem?
The patrol documents it, contacts you or your designated contact, and calls police when appropriate. Agree on these steps before you leave.
Can I schedule checks for just a few days?
Yes. Many homeowners book home watch or patrol checks only for the dates they are away.
About the author
Samantha Stephens leads SGV Patrol, a security company serving the San Gabriel Valley since 2012. SGV Patrol is Licensed, BSIS PPO #17353. You can verify our license on the California DCA license search.
Plan your home watch before you travel
Leaving your South Pasadena home for the holidays? Call SGV Patrol at (626) 727-1592 for a security assessment and a home watch plan for your travel dates. Calls are answered 24/7.
Sources: United States Postal Service, "USPS Hold Mail: The Basics" (FAQ); City of South Pasadena Police Department, Resources and Forms, Vacation Check Request.
Cover photo: "Columbia Ave South Pasadena" by Eric T Gunther, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. Brightened and cropped.
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