Most Canadians lock the door before a trip. Far fewer check whether their home insurance still applies while they’re gone. In a recent Leger survey for TD Insurance, 48% of Canadians said they plan to leave their main residence unattended for more than a day, yet only 7% would notify their insurer. Preparing a home before vacation means covering both sides: keep the heat on and the water managed, confirm your policy’s check-in rules, lock every door and window, unplug electronics you won’t need, arrange for someone to check in and make the house look lived-in. Homeowners selling a home and buyers waiting to close have a few extra steps so the deal keeps moving while they’re away.
Key Takeaways
- In a September 2026 Leger survey for TD Insurance, 48% of Canadians planned to leave their home unattended for more than a day, but only 7% would notify their insurer.
- A quarter of Canadians who left a home unattended for more than a day reported a weather, electrical, plumbing or security problem, according to the same survey.
- Keep the heat on at an energy-saving setting in winter, since frozen plumbing damage during the heating season may not be covered unless pipes are drained or someone checks the home regularly.
- The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises telling your insurer about trips longer than 30 days, and most insurers consider a home vacant after 30 consecutive days.
- Canada Post Hold Mail is a paid service that typically starts three business days after ordering and does not hold parcels, so a neighbour should collect deliveries.
- Homeowners selling while on vacation should set up lockbox access, showing instructions and electronic signing with their listing agent before leaving.
How Far Ahead Should You Start Preparing for Vacation?
Two weeks out is a comfortable starting point for a trip of a week or longer. That leaves time to read the home insurance policy or call the broker, line up a neighbour or house sitter, order Canada Post Hold Mail and book snow removal or lawn care. Hold Mail typically begins three business days after ordering, so it can’t wait until the last minute. The day before is for setting light timers and testing cameras and smart locks. The last half hour before leaving is the physical walk-through: thermostat, water, plugs and locks.
Splitting the work this way keeps departure morning from turning into a scramble. The checklist further down follows the same order and adds steps for homes that are listed for sale.
What Are the Biggest Risks to a Home While You’re Away?
Problems while away are more common than many owners expect. In the same Leger survey of 1,505 Canadian adults, conducted in September 2026 and reported by Insurance Business Canada, a quarter of people who had left a home unattended for more than a day reported a weather, electrical, plumbing or security problem. Among owners of cottages and other secondary properties, that share rose to 62%.
Respondents’ top concerns were power outages (32%), theft or vandalism (29%), frozen or burst pipes (26%) and storm or water damage (25% each). In winter those risks stack: a power outage stops the furnace, the house cools and pipes on exterior walls can freeze before anyone notices. That chain is why heat, water and a local contact come first in this guide.
Should You Keep the Heat On and Shut Off the Water?
Keep the heat on. In the colder months, set the thermostat to an energy-saving temperature rather than turning it off, a step the Insurance Bureau of Canada and most insurers expect. Opening the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls lets warm air reach the plumbing. A smart thermostat that sends a low-temperature alert gives early warning if the furnace or power fails.
For most trips longer than a few days, turning off the main water valve is worth the 30 seconds it takes. Find the main shutoff before departure day and open a tap on the lowest floor afterward to relieve pressure in the lines. Homes with a fire sprinkler system or a boiler that needs water should check with a plumber first. If the main has to stay on, close the washing machine supply valves and place battery-powered leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks.
Does Home Insurance Cover Your House While You’re on Vacation?
For a short trip, typically yes. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says short vacations generally don’t require notice, but anyone planning to be away for more than 30 days should tell their insurer. The heating season adds conditions. IBC has warned that damage from frozen indoor plumbing may not be covered if a home is left during the heating season, unless the plumbing is drained or someone checks regularly to make sure the heat stays on, as reported by Insurance Business Canada.
What Canadians Plan to Do Before Leaving Home Unattended
Share of Canadians who would take each step before leaving a home empty, fall 2026.
| Step before leaving | Type | Share of Canadians |
|---|---|---|
| Arrange for someone to check on the property | Home check | 53% |
| Do a final walk-through | Home check | 51% |
| Check what the policy requires while away | Insurance | 15% |
| Notify their insurer | Insurance | 7% |
Source: Leger online survey of 1,505 Canadian adults for TD Insurance, September 23 to 28, 2026, as reported by Insurance Business Canada. Insurer check-in requirements and vacancy limits vary by policy.
Each insurer sets its own check-in interval, and the General Insurance OmbudService notes that most insurers consider a home vacant after 30 consecutive days, depending on the policy. Longer absences may need a vacancy permit, an endorsement or a separate policy. Reading the conditions section or calling the broker before a long trip, a winter away or a move that leaves the house empty is the only way to know the exact rules.
How Do You Secure Your Home Before Leaving?
Walk the house and test every exterior door, including the door between the garage and the house, sliding patio doors and any basement walkout. Then check every window lock, upstairs included, since second-floor windows are often left open a crack for airflow. A wooden dowel or security bar in the track of a sliding door adds a layer that’s hard to defeat from outside.
Bring in any spare key hidden under a mat, planter or fake rock. Give it to the neighbour checking on the house instead. Smart locks, video doorbells and security cameras are worth a quick test before leaving to confirm batteries, Wi-Fi and phone alerts all work. Unplug the automatic garage door opener or switch it to vacation lock mode if the model has one.
What Should You Unplug Before Vacation?
Many electronics keep drawing power while switched off. According to Natural Resources Canada, standby power can account for 5% to 10% of a household’s electricity bill. Unplugging before a trip trims that waste and removes a few potential ignition sources at the same time.
Good candidates include TVs, gaming consoles, desktop computers, printers, phone chargers, coffee makers, toaster ovens and countertop appliances. Leave the refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, medical equipment, furnace and any security system or router that powers cameras plugged in.
Who Should Check on Your Home While You’re Away?
A trusted neighbour, friend or relative is the single most useful piece of vacation prep. Ask them to collect parcels and flyers, bring the bins in after pickup and walk through the house regularly to look for leaks, a tripped breaker or a furnace that has stopped running. Leave them a spare key, the alarm code and a contact number for the trip. Add the name of a plumber or electrician to call if something goes wrong.
Those visits do double duty in winter, since they help meet the check-in conditions in many policies. Ask the broker how often someone needs to visit and keep a simple log of dates. For trips of a month or longer, a house sitter or property manager may be a better fit than a neighbour’s drop-ins.
How Do You Make an Empty House Look Occupied?
Light timers or smart bulbs are the simplest fix. Set lamps in two or three rooms to switch on and off at different times in the evening so the pattern doesn’t look automated. Holding the mail is the second step. Canada Post Hold Mail stores mail at a Canada Post facility while you’re away. It’s a paid service, and parcels such as Xpresspost and Regular Parcel aren’t held, which is one more reason to have a neighbour watching the door.
Also pause newspaper and recurring meal kit or grocery deliveries, arrange snow removal so the driveway doesn’t sit untouched after a storm and ask a neighbour to park there now and then. Holding off on posting vacation photos until after returning home keeps the trip off social media while the house is empty.
What If Your Home Is Listed for Sale While You’re on Vacation?
A trip doesn’t have to pause a home sale, but the prep looks a little different. The house needs to stay secure and still be easy to show. Talk with the listing agent before leaving about a lockbox, long showing windows, alarm instructions and who will check the home after each showing. Easy access is one of the strategies that help sell a house fast, and it matters even more when the owner is out of town.
Some advice above changes for a listed home. Keep the water on so buyers can test taps, and set the thermostat to a comfortable showing temperature, or agree on a plan with the agent. For evening showings, exterior lights help guide visitors safely to the door, one of the top things sellers often forget before a showing. Store valuables, prescriptions and personal documents out of sight, a step that also appears on this checklist for getting your home ready to sell. Plan to stay reachable by phone and email, since offers can usually be reviewed and signed electronically from anywhere.
What Should Buyers Do If They Travel Before Closing?
Buyers waiting to close can travel, but a closing timeline leaves little room for missed messages. Share the travel dates with the agent, lender and real estate lawyer (or notary in Quebec), keep pay stubs and bank statements accessible online and avoid taking on new credit or making large purchases before closing. Ask the lawyer early whether documents can be signed remotely and when funds need to be in place.
Home insurance needs to take effect on or before closing day. Once the keys change hands, locating the main water shutoff and breaker panel is one of the first-week tasks in this moving timeline for buyers and sellers, and it pays off the first time the new owners leave on a trip.
Before-You-Go Home Checklist
Tick off each task as you finish it. Turn on the selling option to add steps for a home that is listed for sale.
Your progress
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One week before
The day before
On the way out
Leave Home With Peace of Mind
In Canada, the costliest vacation surprises usually start with cold and water, so keep the heat on, manage the water and confirm the insurer’s check-in rules, then lock up, unplug, line up a neighbour and put the lights and mail on hold. For homeowners thinking about selling or buying around travel plans, a local agent can coordinate showings, paperwork and timing while you’re away. Connect with a REMAX agent to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing Your Home for Vacation
How do you prepare your home before going on vacation?
Keep the heat on, shut off the main water valve where possible, confirm your insurer's check-in rules, lock every exterior door and window, unplug electronics that don't need to stay on, ask a trusted neighbour to check the home and collect parcels and put lights on timers. Starting about two weeks ahead leaves time to order Canada Post Hold Mail.
Do you need to tell your home insurer when you go on vacation?
For a short vacation, typically not, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. For trips longer than 30 days, tell your insurer. During the heating season, damage from frozen plumbing may not be covered unless the plumbing is drained or someone checks the home regularly, so confirm your policy's check-in requirements before leaving.
Should you turn off the heat when you go on vacation in winter?
No. Keep the heat on at an energy-saving setting so pipes don't freeze. Many home insurance policies limit coverage for frozen plumbing in the heating season unless heat is maintained and someone checks the home, or the plumbing is drained. A smart thermostat with low-temperature alerts adds an early warning.
Should you turn off the water when you go on vacation?
For most trips longer than a few days, yes. Shutting off the main valve stops a burst line from flooding the home while no one is there. Homes with a fire sprinkler system or a boiler that needs water should check with a plumber before shutting off the main valve.
Should you unplug everything before going on vacation?
No. Unplug TVs, gaming consoles, computers, chargers and small kitchen appliances, but leave the refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, furnace, medical equipment and any security system or router powering cameras plugged in. Standby power can account for 5% to 10% of a household's electricity bill, according to Natural Resources Canada.
How does Canada Post Hold Mail work?
Canada Post Hold Mail stops mail delivery and stores mail at a Canada Post facility until you return. It's a paid service that typically begins three business days after ordering, and it can be extended before it expires. Parcels such as Xpresspost and Regular Parcel are not held.
Can you sell a house while you're on vacation?
Yes. A listing agent can show the home using a lockbox and agreed showing instructions, and offers can usually be reviewed and signed electronically. Sellers should keep the home secure, comfortable for showings and reachable by phone or email while travelling.
