After preparing your suitcase with everything you need for your upcoming summer vacation, you find yourself eagerly anticipating this much-awaited time of the year. This is the time when you can allow yourself to unwind and escape your daily routine. However, it’s important to note that summer is also a prime season for vacations, making it an opportune time for burglars to target unoccupied homes. Whether you’re embarking on a brief weekend trip or an extended vacation, it is crucial to implement appropriate security measures to ensure the safety of your home while you’re away.
Genius Yet Simple Tips For Keeping Your Home Safe
Securing your home doesn’t have to be expensive; it simply involves keeping a few tips in mind and incorporating them into your regular home security routine before you leave. The experienced locksmiths from 24/7 locksmith services are eager to share valuable tricks that will significantly enhance your home’s security. By implementing these tips, you can enjoy peace of mind and make a positive difference in protecting your home.
Spare Keys
If you are one of the countless homeowners who keep their spare keys under a doormat, behind a flowerpot, or above a doorframe, know that potential intruders will first look for your keys in such places. All you have to do is to remove your keys and, if needed, give them to a trusted neighbor for safekeeping.
Alarm System
Today, an alarm system can seriously dissuade home burglars from intruding on your property. Also, the industry of home alarm systems offers an extensive array of models for everyone. You may choose an alarm system connected to your cell phone to receive real-time notifications. Or, if you don’t have the time to contact an alarm company before you leave on vacation, fool burglars by hanging a fake security company sign. An extra tip is to spend just a few dollars to get a set of fake surveillance cameras to hang outside your home’s facade.
Lock It All Up
After locking the home door, remember to lock up all the other openings: pet doors, mail slots, windows, the garage door, and any opening that burglars might use to intrude a tool and unlock the door. You’d better disconnect automatic doors like the garage door and put a padlock on the door track to secure it. If you want to upgrade your home locks, consider smart locks to control your doors remotely via the Internet.
Make It Look Like Someone’s In
Most burglars choose the homes by just looking at them. If your home looks like there’s nobody in it, it might attract potential burglars. You can avoid that by setting timers on lights, radios, and TVs: your devices will turn on at different times in the morning and evening. Also, take care of your front yard: cut the grass before leaving and tidy it up to make your home look “alive”. Ask a neighbor to use your empty driveway to park their car.
Window Blinds
Home burglars make several neighborhood inspections before taking action. They look at how your home looks like when you are in. So, if they notice your property looks different, they know you are not in. If you usually keep your window blinds open, do not close them before leaving. If you normally park your car in your driveway, ask someone to use it while you are away. The more movement you can create (turning lights, radios, cars going and coming, and more), the less promising your home will look in the burglars’ eyes.
Mail And Newspaper Delivery
Another sign that suggests burglars that homeowners aren’t at home is the amount of uncollected mail and newspapers piled up on the doorstep. You know when you are leaving and returning home, so stop the newspaper delivery for that period. You may also contact the local mail service to stop your other mail or ask a neighbor to take your mail while you are away.
Social Media And Blogs
If you use social media or have a blog, do not announce that you are leaving on vacation. We know it’s nice to share happy moments with the ones who follow you, but burglars might be among them and get certainty about your property condition. If you have children, teach them not to tell if and when you are leaving. The less information you share with the world, the less it might end in the wrong ears or eyes.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, securing your property before leaving for a vacation isn’t complicated or expensive. You just have to remember the golden rules we listed above, so your home won’t lure any burglars to reach in.