The holiday season provides the opportunity for family and friends to celebrate with each other, making it likely that you or loved ones will be traveling.
If you happen to be taking a trip during your time off, you must first make sure that your home is properly secured before hitting the road. Each year, thousands of vacant homes are burglarized by intruders during this season.
Image credit: aopsan | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Here are six tips to keep your home safe while you are gone for the holidays:
Avoid social media
These days, more people are using online social networks to interact with each other. Often times, some people will express their excitement for their upcoming vacation. While this may seem like an innocent act, attentive thieves will take advantage of the announcement.
The best approach is to wait until after you return home to post pictures of your holiday trip. There is nothing wrong with emailing or messaging people you trust about your trip, but don’t tell everyone on your social media accounts.
Avoid leaving signs of your absence
A pile of unopened newspapers is a tell-tale sign that a homeowner has gone on vacation. Do not hesitate to ask a trusted neighbor to collect your mail until you arrive back from your trip. Consider setting a timer on the lights or TV in the home to make it look like someone is there in the evenings.
Install a home security system
If you have yet to install a home security system, now is certainly the best time to do so. A quality home security system offers many benefits. Not only will the system detect the presence of a home intruder, but it will also notify the emergency services if smoke is detected in case of a fire.
Putting a sign in your front lawn advertising your security system is often enough to keep intruders away from your home and move on to another house. A home security system doesn’t have to break your bank either, so read up on some things you should know about security systems to save money and give your home the protection you want.
Upgrade the door locks
An experienced burglar will attack a home at its weakest point of entry. This is the reason why it so important to have a quality locking system. A strong set of locks will make it extremely difficult for a criminal to gain entry to the inside of the home.
It is a good idea to find out more about the variety of different locks available that give your home the added security you need.
Install a timer
Leaving the lights on for 24 hours a day is never a good idea. Burglars will eventually notice that the lights are always on. A light timer will enable the homeowner to program the lights to turn on and off at specific times. This helps to keep lurking criminals away from the property.
Let your neighbors know
Ask your neighbors or close friends that live nearby to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity while you are gone. Let them know if anyone is coming to check on the house, and inform them what cars should be there. They don’t have to be there 24/7, but an extra set of eyes will make sure nothing unusual is going on while you are gone.
Do not let your vacation be ruined by a home invasion. By following these tips, you will be able enjoy your vacation during the holidays, knowing that your home is secure.
About the Author:
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She writes about home, family, finance and business. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing. Find out more here about how to protect your home while you are traveling.
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