As we enter into the summer months, many people will be taking vacations and leaving their homes vulnerable. Whether you’re planning a short or a long, a close or an abroad, trip, it’s imperative that you know how to keep your home safe while on vacation. You don’t want to come home from a great trip to a house that has been broken into just because you didn’t take precautions before you left. There are things that you can do around your home to give the illusion that you’re not away.
How to keep your home safe while on vacation
Do not advertise that you’re going to be gone.
You’re excited about your trip and want to share it with your friends and family. It’s easy to make posts, especially to your social media accounts, that you’re going to be away or post a check in to your airport or hotel. It’s important that you don’t do this. When you post online that you’re away, the wrong person may find out that your home is an easy target during this time. If you want to share information about your trip on your social media page, wait until you get back from your vacation.
In addition to not advertising online that you’re going to be gone, it’s important not to put this information on your voicemail message or answering machine. This also has the potential of getting around to someone who you wish it didn’t. Only notify key people that you are going to be gone instead of everyone who calls your phone or is connected to you through social media.
Have someone pick up your mail and newspaper deliveries.
A telltale sign that a house is empty for an extended period of time is when newspapers or mail begins to pile up outside the house. While you can have these deliveries temporarily suspended, that may not be a good idea either. If you do that, there will still be more people who know that you’re gone and for how long. The other problem with this is that if a home doesn’t receive regular deliveries, a burglar may realize that there is no one in your house.
Instead, decide on one of these two options, have a friend or relative pick up your mail. This way, there will be someone regularly at your house and the mail won’t pile up. By having someone regularly checking on your home, it will assure that it will be much safer than if no one is ever there while you’re away.
Pay someone to keep up maintenance on your home.
If you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, maintenance on your yard will go by the wayside. If you have an overgrown lawn, it’s another telltale sign that no one is currently living in the house. Pay someone to come over and keep up the maintenance while you’re gone, especially if you’re going to be gone for a good chunk of the summer.
Consider timers for your lights.
A great way to fool burglars into thinking someone is home is by use of the timers on your inside and outside lights. If the lights are being used, it will be assumed that someone is there and the risk is too great to attempt to break in.
Look into buying an alarm system if you don’t have one.
While alarm systems can be expensive, it would be much worse to be robbed and your home vandalized while you’re on vacation. Alarm systems will help secure your home while you’re away. Many times an alarm system can also help you receive an insurance discount of 15 to 20 percent. If you are unable to purchase and install an alarm system before your vacation, you should make sure that your locks are secure. Deadbolts on your doors and windows will make it much harder for your home to be broken into while you’re gone.
If someone does get into your home, you should make sure that your most valuable possessions are protected. Lock up important documents, expensive jewelry, smaller electronic devices and anything else of great importance or great expense before you leave. This is a good way to prevent thieves from getting the things you want to protect the most while you’re gone. This video has some great tips as well.
We at Ben Buys Indy Houses care about you and your home. Check out our other posts for additional tips. If you have any questions about us and what we do, please be sure to contact us and make sure to enjoy your vacation this summer.
