(This is a guest post) Protecting your home is very very very very important. Can I stress this a little more?
Going on a long vacation shouldn’t just be about preparing the things you’ll bring with you when you leave. For added peace of mind and security, it’s also essential that you prepare the things you’ll leave behind.
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To help you get started, here are 7 easy ways you can protect your home:
- Keep the Façade of ‘Being Home’:
Burglars often target houses that are unoccupied. Before they strike, they will first look out for signs that can tell whether you are at home or not. This makes it important that you hold off any magazine or newspaper subscriptions until you get home. It can also help if you can ask a relative or a trusted neighbor to collect your mail every day. Programming a set of smart lights to turn on and off at specified times can help make your home look occupied, too.
- Break Into Your Own House (If You Can):
Before you leave, make it a point to thoroughly assess your home security. You can check for broken locks and loose hinges on your doors and windows. If you have an existing security system, make sure that you have a fresh set of batteries in place. The last thing you’d want to happen while you’re on a vacation is to find that your home is intruded just because your system’s batteries ran out.
If you don’t have a system in place yet, then it’s a wise move if you can get one before your actual date of departure. Most of today’s residential alarm systems can be quickly installed, which means you won’t need to wait too long or even sacrifice your schedule.
- Make Your Security System Obvious:
In setting up your security system, keep in mind that burglars tend to shy away from homes that can compromise their identities. Place security signs where they can be easily seen, such as your main gate, front door, and windows. You can also install security cameras in highly visible areas.
- Unplug Appliances:
To protect your home against possible fire, it can help if you can unplug your appliances. This includes your TV, coffee maker as well as your oven toaster. You can skip doing this step for devices that include timers. Aside from home safety, unplugging your appliances can also help cut down your electricity bill.
- Don’t Advertise That You’ll Be Away:
Considering how smart people are when it comes to today’s technology, there’s really no definite way to guarantee who can and can’t read your posts. Although there’s the option to configure your account’s security and privacy, it’s still possible for other people to hack and pry into your account.
Because of this vulnerability, it’s critical that you stop yourself from posting important details of your vacation in your social media accounts. Aside from location, you should also skip sharing relevant dates as well as the names of people you’ll be spending your vacation with.
- Tidy Up Your Lawn:
Before you leave, make sure that no tools are left lying around on your lawn. Unused ladders, pliers, and hammers should be securely tucked inside a locked cabinet.
Aside from these measures, there’s also the option to hire a lawn care company that will trim your plants while you’re out. If spending an extra amount of money for these services is not an option, then you can always ask the help of a relative or someone from the neighborhood. You should, however, exercise caution in asking people you don’t completely know as burglars often disguise themselves.
- Lock Up Your Valuables:
Keep valuables, such as important documents, jewelry and cash in a fire-proof safe. It can also help if you can create decoys around your house. You can stack a small amount of money inside your bedroom drawer or in one of the food jars in your kitchen. Once burglars see the money, there’s a good chance that they won’t continue looking around any further. Burglars tend to limit the amount of time they spend in a home to avoid risking their identity and safety.
For some more tips and tricks, check out this article from Home Logic: here
Guest Post Author: Andy of Top Security Review
