Tips to Protect Your Home While on Your Vacation

Burglars can take advantage of your absence to vandalize your home. Here are expert locksmith tips on how to protect your home while on vacation. 

When you are planning a vacation remember that you will be leaving your house behind and it will need to be protected from anything that may cause damage or loss. Although you may never expect that something bad will happen, it is essential that you ensure your house is protected as it were when you were around. From electric mishaps to burglaries, there is a vast array of losses that can be sustained while you are away. Here, we advise you on how best to protect your house as you enjoy your vacation uninterrupted.

Stop Power Surges

You can never be sure when a power surge will occur. Always be prepared. Ensure you disconnect the television, stereo, computer, and all other electronics. Alternatively, make sure they are safely plugged into a surge protector. When you unplug all the appliances (including the small ones), you protect your home from power surges and electrical fire.

Create the Picture that there is Someone at Home

Set your lights, radio, and television on a timer and generate the usual noise and flickering lights of an ordinary home during the night. You may also leave your car in the driveway and make arrangements for somebody to mow your lawn periodically. The essence here is to ensure that there are enough indicators that show someone is living in the house as it will scare away potential thieves. 

Keep Your Vacation Dates Secret

Keep your mouth shut, never declare your getaway or vacation dates on social media or any untrusted sources, even if you believe that it is only your colleagues and friends who view your online content. There are eyes and ears everywhere waiting for that single opportunity to execute their evil plans against you. Do not give any chance for a possible motivated offender. Wait until you are back and share only with friends that you trust.

Keep Your Valuables Safe

Lock up valuables like your title deed, wills, jewelry, important documents and all other valuables in a safe that is fire-proof. Do not leave any valuables in the open as it may attract the attention of an intruder through the windows.

Suspend or Hold Your Mail

Again do not announce to people that you are not at home. A pile of newspapers or mail on your doorstep or envelopes flowing out of your mail slot is a quick tip-off that there is no one at home. Considering the number of days that you will be gone on vacation, visit the post office and place your mail on hold. Place a hold on your daily paper, too. If you cannot do that, ask a trusted neighbor to collect mails and newspapers for you.

Inform Your Security Company

If you trust your security company (I believe you do) call them and inform them that you will be away so that they can increase their surveillance and ensure that your security equipment is in good shape. Ensure the alarm system is set correctly. You can also request them to install signs around your home to pass a message that they are the ones providing security to that specific home.

Trust a Friend to Keep Watch

Ask your trusted friend or neighbor to go to your home a few times a week just to check on everything. It sounds better as you may not need to pay them. They may also do a bit of cleaning litter as they do it in their houses. Give them your contacts and a spare key to allow them to update you on what is happening and inform you in case of an emergency that requires your immediate attention. If you had the mail and newspapers stopped, a friend to keep watch could be invaluable since a smart robber who is watching will notice that the mail is not being delivered and it will be a tell-tale sign that you are out of town.

Guard your pipes

People who live in cold areas must protect their pipes by insulating them. Exposed areas like the basement, crawl spaces and the attic should be insulated. Inform your trusted neighbor or friend to be checking the pipes for you to ensure that they do not freeze.

Lock Your Doors and Windows

Remember to lock everything including your garage. Frequently, people forget to lock their doors and windows when in a hurry or when they are late for a flight. This is an enormous hazard that must be avoided at all costs. It is the most basic and foremost security consciousness aspect that must be observed without an opportunity to go wrong. Also secure the door and any other access to the garage, even if there is no way to enter the house from the garage. Remember your garage is part of your house and you may have stored your items there leave alone your car.  It might seem obvious but always double-check just to be sure.

Do not leave your spare keys outdoors

Burglars understand the most common hiding places for keys like in potted plants and beneath mats. Do not play their game and leave any spare keys outside the house. You can leave a spare key with the same trusted neighbor, friend, or family member who will be checking on your house regularly.

The above checklist should act as your guide anytime you plan to travel for your vacation. The basic call is that you should do everything within your power to ensure that your house looks and behaves as if you never left.