The holiday season is the best time of year to visit family and friends. It’s also prime vacation time.
If you’re planning to go out of town, there are a few steps you should take to prepare and protect your home while you’re away. Use the tips below to discourage burglars and maintain your home’s security during your trip.
1. Put your lights on a timer
Making your home look occupied is one of the most important things you can do to protect it. Burglars prefer to target homes that are empty because there’s a lower chance of getting caught. A home that stays dark at night or lit up all day is a calling card for thieves.
Since you aren’t home to turn your lights on and off, consider installing a timer or smart lighting.
With a timer, your lights will automatically follow a regular schedule, giving the appearance that someone’s home.
You can schedule smart lights as well, plus control them through your phone. You could even change which rooms are lit to strengthen the illusion that your home is occupied.
Motion-activated lights are another option for your outdoor lighting.
2. Install a home security system
A home security system will keep your home safer than any other tactic. If a burglar decides to break in, even if your home is occupied, your security system is the only defense you have left. It will send you a notification immediately to alert you to the break-in. If you have a professional monitoring plan, it will notify the monitoring center as well.
With a home security system, you can actively protect your home from afar. By dispatching the police as soon as you learn about the robbery, you can limit the amount of time the thief has to take your belongings. You also increase the chances of catching them in the act.
Installing security cameras will alert you to anyone lurking around your home as well. Many burglars choose to avoid homes with cameras outside, preventing the crime altogether. If they do hang around, your camera will let you know. You can then ask what they want through the camera’s two-way communication feature or dispatch the police.
3. Alert your home security provider
Before leaving on your trip, make sure you tell your home security company that you are going out of town. Since your house will be empty, they will know that any alerts aren’t false alarms. They can then act quickly to protect your home.
4. Use a smart thermostat
Burglars aren’t the only threat to worry about when you’re out of town, especially during the winter.
When leaving for an extended period of time, most homeowners set their thermostats a little lower than they normally would. No one will be inside to enjoy the heat, so it’s okay to let the temperature drop a bit.
A sudden freeze, however, can drop your home’s temperature low enough to freeze your pipes and cause an expensive leak.
Use a smart thermostat to control and monitor your home’s temperature from afar. In the event of a freeze, you can easily raise the thermostat to prevent burst pipes.
Smart flood detectors are another great option. If these devices sense water where it shouldn’t be, such as under a sink or in the basement, they will send an alert to your phone. You can then act quickly to fix the problem and minimize the damage.
5. Check your windows and doors before leaving
When you “know you already checked the back door” or “never open that window,” you may be tempted to leave without making sure they’re locked. Unfortunately, that decision can leave your home vulnerable to burglars.
Always check every window and door before leaving on a trip. Make sure they’re shut tight and locked securely. You can also add security bars to your sliding glass door for extra security.
6. Have someone collect your mail and newspapers
As mentioned, burglars look for homes that seem empty. A house that has several days’ worth of newspapers on the driveway and mail in the mailbox is a prime target.
When you’re leaving, even if it’s just for a few days, have someone stop by to collect your mail and newspapers. This will help keep your home from being an obvious target.
7. Hire a house sitter
The best way to make your home look occupied is to have someone stay in it while you’re gone. A housesitter cares for your home and watches out for any suspicious activity. Their presence is often enough to scare burglars away.
Plus, your house sitter can watch for additional problems such as leaky pipes and freezing temperatures.
Just make sure you hire someone you trust to respect and protect your home while you’re gone.
8. Keep your plans private
Thieves sometimes know to target a home because the homeowners talked about their trip online. Since they know when the home will be empty, they can rob it without getting caught.
Keep all information about trips off social media until after you return. Remind your spouse and kids to do the same. It’s a good idea to only tell trusted loved ones about your absence as well. If someone overhears or shares this information, it could reach the wrong person.
9. Leave a car in the driveway
An occupied driveway is another sign that a home is occupied. If you have more than one vehicle, leave it outside in the driveway to scare away burglars. Though your vehicle may be at greater risk from thieves, you can use outdoor security cameras to watch over them.
10. Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your home
While you’re gone, your neighbors can watch for suspicious activity and people. If they see anything odd, they can call you to see if everything is okay. When needed, they can also call the police to keep your home safe.
