Keeping Your Home Secure When You’re on Vacation

A report by the FBI found that 65% of burglaries occur during the day when homeowners are at work. It would then be safe to assume that when you’re away for extended periods of time, the likelihood of your home being broken into is even higher. This is especially true when your property starts looking like nobody’s around.

An unkempt lawn, neglected garbage bins and filled up mailboxes are a burglar’s dream. If you don’t have a good security system, watchful neighbors, or a habit of leaving things unlocked, the recipe for disaster only worsens. But the safety of your home and valuable possessions should be the last thing on your mind when you’re trying to relax abroad.

This is why it’s important to ensure that your home is the last choice for a burglar. With this in mind, here are some effective ways to keep your home secure when you’re on vacation.

Have Someone Perform Maintenance

A snowy driveway and overgrown lawn are two major giveaways that there isn’t anyone home. The same applies if a storm has passed through and littered leaves and branches onto your front yard. Consider calling up a neighbor or hiring a landscaping company to perform the occasional maintenance when you’re away for extended periods of time.

Empty the Mailbox

Burglars are more likely to target a home if they can see that nobody has picked up any mail for a while. If you have shipments coming in from Amazon or USPS during your vacation time, be sure to stop those deliveries until you’re back. UPS and FedEx offer separate pickup locations where packages can be held for up to 30 days.

Ask a family member, friend or neighbor to collect any newspapers or junk mail that ends up in your mailbox.

Install a Security System

One of the best things you can do to both deter thieves from targeting your home and also have evidence in the event that something does happen, is to install a home security system. These usually feature a variety of tech and services such as cameras, sensors, alarms and wireless equipment.

You can also install cameras that allow you to monitor footage remotely from your mobile device, even if you’re on the other side of the world. Additionally, a good security company will offer an emergency response service, as well as nearby crime data to give you a better idea of what’s going on in your neighborhood.

Get Friendly with the Neighbors

When it comes to keeping your home safe, your neighbors are your best friend. Ideally, you’ll want as few people to know about you going on vacation as possible. For example, don’t post anything about in on social media until you come back, as burglars often use this to find houses to target. That said, it would be wise to let your neighbors know so that they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. If neighbors aren’t an option, consider letting a friend or family member know and ask them to check out your home a couple times a week. The local police department might also be able to help by performing an occasional patrol.

Take Your Spare Keys with You

Many homeowners end up leaving a spare set of keys hidden under a mat or rock near the front door. While you might fool someone less experienced, any burglar who knows what they’re doing will likely know all the common spare key hiding spaces. It would then be a better idea to just take them with you.

Put Electronics on a Timer

Just like an unkempt house, one that’s dark for days on end is a telltale sign that nobody’s home. Of course, you can’t just keep your lights and television on from the day you leave – that would be expensive. But you can install timers into your plugs that’ll turn your lights on and off at specific intervals.

Since these systems can be installed into plugs, you can also connect them to your radio or television to improve the effect. Ideally, you’ll want to pick up a timer that works on random intervals. Otherwise someone who’s watching the neighborhood might notice a pattern. Try finding one that connects to your smartphone so you can control it remotely.

If all else fails, your best option would be to hire a house sitter. This way, they can make the property look inhabited and report on any suspicious activity. They’ll also be able to perform maintenance such as cleaning the driveway. Just be sure to compensate them fairly for their efforts.