With summer creeping up on us, protecting our homes when we’re away on vacation becomes a top priority, and thankfully, there are some simple and affordable measures homeowners can take to protect not just their homes, but their belongings and valuables, too.
Home burglaries increase when families are away on summer vacation, but with these tips, you can keep your home safe and secure until you return, and ideally, forever:
Avoid posting about your trip on social media
Although many of us enjoy telling our friends, family and followers what we’re getting up to, especially when we go on vacation, this can give burglars the ideal opportunity to know our whereabouts, and find out when our homes are likely to be unoccupied.
Keep your valuables out of plain sight
For a passing burglar, seeing expensive items sitting within plain view inside your home, may prove a temptation too difficult to resist. Hide items of value out of sight until your return, and then use drapes or blinds to conceal your homes contents when you’re not at home.
Set up a motion sensor light system
Strategically placed lights that illuminate areas of your home when they detect motion, are a fantastically cost effective deterrent for crime.
Don’t let mail accumulate if it can easily be seen
Cancel as much mail as you can while you’re away, and ask a friend or neighbor to pop in and collect any that might be delivered in your absence. Mail that has been allowed to build up and can clearly be seen by anyone trying to look inside, is a clear indication that nobody’s at home.
Make sure your doors and windows are properly closed and locked
This is the simplest way to prevent a burglar from gaining access to your home, but you’d be surprised how many homeowners forget to fully close or lock windows and doors when they go on vacation.
Check that all locks are in good working order
If you notice that any of your locks are faulty, damaged or worn, consider having them checked over by a residential locksmith before you go on vacation, and get them upgraded or repaired as necessary.
Have a safe installed
High security safes are a great way of ensuring that your most valuable items are kept well protected in your absence, and for more guidance on purchasing a safe that’s right for your needs, consult with a local locksmith or safe specialist.
Install a home security system
With many modern home security systems giving you the ability to monitor, lock and unlock your home remotely, having one can give you increased security when you go away, and indeed, at any other time.
You should be able to go away on vacation and enjoy yourself without the constant worry of what’s going on back at your home, and by following the above security measures, you can do so with ease.
