Planning a trip can be very exciting, but there’s always a lot to consider and a lot of preparation. Whether it’s a work-related trip or an adventure with your family, you spend time figuring out all of the details to make sure you and your family arrive safely and enjoy your time away. But one thing many people don’t spend enough time planning is home security. Below we highlight tips for keeping your home safe while you’re away.
Ask a family member, friend or neighbor to check on things. Having someone you trust to bring in your mail, water your plants, and take out your trash and recycling is not only helpful, but it also gives the impression that someone is in the home, even when your away.
Even better, see if a family member is willing to house sit. Having someone come and go on a normal schedule will take your house off the radar of anyone casing it out.
Avoid leaving a hidden key outside. You can be sure that people who intend on robbing you know where to look for those “hidden” keys.
If you have a safe in your house, lock up all valuables such as jewelry, extra cash, etc.
If you don’t have anyone you can count on to go to the house every day or two, contact the post office and have them hold your mail while you’re gone. Having your mail pile up day after day is a sure sign no one is home. If the wrong person notices, you might be setting yourself up for a break in.
The same is true if you let lawn maintenance and snow removal go. During the summer, keep up with weekly mowing by hiring a neighborhood kid or lawn service. During the winter, hire someone to clear your walkways or hire a snow removal company to plow your driveway. Setting this up ahead of time will ensure your covered if you get a storm while you’re away.
Be vigilant in locking your house up tight. While most people lock their doors regularly, many people leave at least one or two windows unlocked. Be sure to double check each window to ensure you are not leaving thieves an open invitation. You also want to give some thought to your garage doors. If you have an automatic door opener, plan on disengaging it while your away. It is entirely possible your opener has a universal remote, which means others can use their own to gain access. On top of disengaging your remote, consider installing a deadbolt system to prevent anyone to trying to manually enter.
Install automatic timers on your lights and electronics in the home. Having your lights and TV turn on and off each day will also give the impression that someone is home. Better yet, have them set to turn on and off at different times each day so it doesn’t appear “scheduled”. In the summer, you should also plan on having your air conditioning turn on during the day. If someone is watching the home, it will be a dead giveaway that the house is empty if the air conditioning isn’t turning on during a heat wave.
Show off your security system. Place the security company stickers in your windows to show your house is monitored. It is also a good idea to call your security company to let them know the dates you plan on being gone. This way, if the alarm does go off, there isn’t a delay in trying to reach you to determine if it’s a false alarm… they will automatically send the police to the house to check it out.
Finally, don’t post your travel plans or vacation pictures on social media, as hard as that might be! There are some people out there that look for that information and jump on the opportunity to break in.
You don’t want to have to worry about what’s going on at home when you have the chance to get away. Being prepared and following these tips will help protect your home and give you some peace of mind while you’re gone.