How to protect your home, if you're going on a winter holiday

Make sure your home is Winter Ready

Winter can take a toll on your home when you least expect it, especially if you don't notice the tell-tale signs soon enough.

With the temperatures falling below 0°C the risk of freezing and bursting pipes increases. Make sure your pipes are insulated, no valves are left open and most importantly - leave the heating on when you're going away. Even if you want to save on your heating bills, a burst pipe will cost you a lot more, than leaving the heating on 15°C. Move any furniture that might be obstructing your radiators.

Don't forget to have your boiler and heating system serviced as well. Ideally you want to do this in the summer, but if you forgot to do it this year, make sure you don't leave before a Gas Safe engineerhas confirmed that your boiler is healthy and working to its full capacity.

Clear your gutters and roof of any gunk and debris, or they can create blockages that leak into your house.

Of course, before you leave, check all your plugs and switch them off. Double-check the taps and ensure they're not dripping. Close all windows and doors, and block any draughts from finding their way in. With the heating left on low, you should come back to a nice, relatively warm house.

Secure your house against burglars.

Install secure Chubb locks and deadlocks on any doors that give direct access to your property. You can book a Rightio locksmith by calling 0800 068 7245.

Put a cage around your letterbox, and don't forget to securely lock all your garden tools and bikes in the shed. Don't leave any keys on the doors.

If you can afford it, investing in motion sensors and security lights is a great way to protect your property against thieves. You can also find cheap door and window alarms on Amazon. They even sell affordable burglar cameras.

Take precautions for when you're away.

Ask a friend or a neighbour if they can come by and remove any magazines and flyers that have been dropped through your letterbox. You can also ask them to check your pipes if temperatures plummet, and water your plants - which will make the house look occupied.

Don't leave any visible valuables around your living room. Make sure to hide your precious possessions at different places around the house. Even better, pack it all in a box, and leave it with a friend you trust.

Leave your curtains open- nothing screams"unoccupied house"like curtains that have been closed for days.

Before you depart, double-check or even triple-check if you've locked all doors and windows.