Soon the departure? This year 74% of the French * take off and move away from their home to pace the mountain paths, stroll in the countryside or lying on the beach. But before you take advantage of it, you have to know how to consciously close your house to avoid unexpected catastrophes in our absence. The points to watch for:

Provide watering of plants.

In the absence of the super pot connected Léo, we opt for a system cheaper but convenient enough to put our indoor plants under aquatic perfusion. It is the "aqua solo", drip system on which is screwed a simple bottle of water, to plant in the pot (16,25 € les4, botanic.com). And we also think of moving them away from the windows to the south.

Avoid water leaks.

No dithering: we cut the water before leaving otherwise we risk the leak!   Especially since a certain number of insurance surreptitiously added an exclusion clause if we left more than 3 days without closing its tap of water. And of course, the gas is cut off.

Prevent leakage of energy.

If you do not want to turn off the electricity meter (you do not want to lose the contents of your freezer for example), you can disconnect all electrical outlets, which even in standby represent 10 to 15% of our consumption. And you shut off your water heater (via the circuit breaker).

Beware of burglars.

1/3 of the break-ins occur on July-August. One can warn his police station or gendarmerie - at least 2 days before his departure - to take advantage of the operation "tranquility holidays" (regular patrol in the district). Infos: interieur.gouv.fr. Without paranoia, one avoids to diffuse its dates of holidays on the social networks (new source of info for the burglars).

Leave his keys.

Basic but we do not always think of it ... Better to leave a double of his key ring (including the keys of the mailbox) to a neighbor of confidence. A precious precaution in case of galley and which will allow him to manage on the spot while we are several hundred kilometers away. .

* CSA figure for Direct morning, March 2016.