Leaving the Valley for a Few Weeks This Summer? Here's What to Check First
Leaving the Valley for a Few Weeks This Summer? Here's What to Check First
If you're one of the many Las Vegas homeowners heading somewhere cooler for part of this summer, the two things most likely to affect your empty house while you're gone are heat and dust — and neither is minor this year. Before you leave, it's worth checking that every window and door on your home is actually secured, not just locked, since an empty house gives an intruder as much time as they want to work.
Why This Summer Is a Bad One to Leave a House Lightly Secured
Las Vegas has already seen 112°F-plus days and stretches where overnight lows don't drop below 90, prompting Clark County to open cooling stations valley-wide. On top of the heat, monsoon season has brought at least one significant "dust event" this year, with a wall of dust rolling through Henderson, Boulder City, and the east side of the valley ahead of thunderstorms — the kind of event that can knock out power, rattle loose door and window seals, and occasionally break weak screen material outright.
An empty home that loses power during a dust storm and has a compromised screen or door seal is a more attractive target than one that's clearly occupied and secured.
What to Check Before You Leave Henderson, Inspirada, or Cadence
Master-planned Henderson communities like Inspirada and Cadence see a lot of seasonal travel — residents heading to cooler climates for weeks at a time during peak summer heat. If that's you, walk your own property before you go and check:
● Every sliding door has a working secondary lock, not just the factory latch
● Window and door screens are intact, with no tears or loose frames a monsoon wind could worsen
● Timers are set on interior lights so the home doesn't look obviously empty
● A neighbor or property watch service has a way to reach you if something looks wrong
Quick Facts: What You're Leaving Your Home To Deal With
| Risk factor | 2026 status |
|---|---|
| Hottest day so far | 115°F (early August) |
| Overnight lows during heat waves | Often above 90°F |
| Recent dust event | Reduced visibility across Henderson, Boulder City, east valley |
| Monsoon outlook | NOAA flagged 40–50% chance of above-normal precipitation through late summer |
Why a Security Screen Matters More on an Empty House
A standard window screen is built to keep bugs out, not to stop someone from popping it out of the frame and reaching a latch. On a house nobody's checking on daily, that's a real gap. A security screen with a reinforced frame and real locking hardware closes it — and it holds up to wind-driven debris from a dust storm better than a standard screen, which means you're not coming home to a torn screen and an exposed window on top of everything else.
"The calls we dread most are the ones where someone gets home from a trip and the first thing they notice is a screen that's been kicked in or blown out, and they have no idea how long the house sat open like that," says James Kerr, a security screen specialist at Boss Security Screens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I do anything different to secure my home if I'm leaving for weeks, not days?
Yes — the longer a home sits empty, the more it benefits from real security upgrades rather than just locking doors, since there's no one around to notice a break-in in progress.
Can monsoon dust storms actually damage window screens?
Standard mesh and older screens can tear or pop out of their frames under strong monsoon wind gusts. Reinforced security screens are built to hold up better under that kind of wind load.
Does Boss Security Screens serve Henderson communities like Inspirada and Cadence?
Yes, Boss installs throughout Henderson, including master-planned communities like Inspirada and Cadence, as well as across the broader Las Vegas valley.
Will a security screen make my house look obviously "locked down" while I'm away?
No — most Boss security screens are designed to look like a normal screen door or window screen from the outside, so your home doesn't visibly signal that no one's home.
How far in advance should I schedule an install before a trip?
Most installations are completed in a single day, but scheduling a few weeks ahead of a planned trip gives you room for the free estimate, any custom sizing, and installation.
Heading out of town this summer? Get a free estimate before you go and leave knowing your windows and doors are actually secured, not just closed.