Whether you’re taking a short business trip for a few days or going on a long luxurious vacation, you want to make sure that your home is secure from break-ins, vandalism, and other disasters in your absence. Taking some simple steps to protect your home before you leave can help you avoid returning home to your belongings missing or having to file an expensive claim with your home or car insurance company. Here are five things that you can do to make your home less appealing to criminals whilst you’re not there.
Tip #1. Add an Extra Layer of Security:
Wherever possible, it’s a good idea to add an extra layer of security, for example by setting burglar alarms for each room in your home or locking away your car in a garage. Check out Globalgarage.org for more information on the different types of secure garage doors and openers available. However, bear in mind that putting your car in the garage if it’s normally on the driveway could be a sign to savvy thieves that you’re not home. Ask a neighbour or friend to park their car in your driveway whilst you’re gone; the occasional shift of position will make your home look occupied.
Tip #2. Make It Look Like Someone’s at Home:
There are various strategies that you can use to create the illusion of somebody at home. For example, installing timers on lights around your home will ensure that they come on at random intervals; if you tend to have a very similar daily routine, try to time your lights for the same times at which you would usually switch them on and off. You should also arrange for a hold to be placed on any mail and newspapers before you leave; piles of mail sitting unopened in your porch can be a dead giveaway that nobody’s home.
Tip #3. Use Motion Detectors for Outdoor Lights:
Simply lighting up your outdoor space is a great way to deter thieves and other criminals by ensuring that there’s nowhere for them to hide. Using motion detectors on your outdoor lights can work as a very powerful deterrent, since they will automatically light up when somebody enters the sensor’s range. This is useful not only for when you have to leave your home unoccupied, but also for when you’re at home since it’s easier to spot anybody who could potentially be up to no good.
Tip #4. Join or Start a Neighborhood Watch Group:
Lastly, getting involved with neighborhood watch activities in your area will help you with peace of mind whilst you’re not at home. Neighbors can help one another out whilst watching each other’s homes and acting as an extra pair of eyes and ears for anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. A strong and supportive group of neighbors will give you peace of mind that your home is being looked out for whilst you’re not there.
If you found these tips useful, we’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.
