Protecting Your Home While You’re Away This Summer

You’re supposed to be able to relax while on vacation, but if you feel like your home might be in danger, relaxation will be just about impossible. Even if you don’t have any specific reason to worry, it can be just plain hard to leave your home all alone while you’re away. Whether it’s just for peace of mind or for an actual need for security, here are a few measures you can take before you go on vacation.

Invest in Home Security

The best way to protect your home is to actually put in some home security measures. The foremost and most important thing to do is to get an actual security service in place. You can get an alarm system that will automatically call the police and set off an alarm if anyone enters without typing in a passcode. With a very obvious buzzing alarm, a home intruder might leave before they do any real damage.

You may also want to get some “nanny cams” for your home while you’re away. If you choose, this option, make sure that they are recording at all times or that they are motion activated. You can also get some cameras that will allow you to check in online so you can actually look in on your house while you’re away. You will also want to have a camera outside to capture license plates of any home invaders.

Of course, while it’s important that you be able to track home invaders, it’s best if you can find a way to deter home invasion altogether. Some people like to program the lights in their homes to turn on at a certain time of the evening and to turn off at night to make it seem as though people are in the house. You can consider getting home automation so that you can maintain remote control over the cameras and lights in your house while you are on vacation. Or if you don’t like this option or think that it wastes too much energy, you can post a simple sign in your front yard alerting would-be home invaders that your home is protected by a secure system to deter any kind of break-ins.

Rely on the Neighborhood

It’s always a good idea to alert neighbors when you are going out of town, to make sure they have all of the available phone numbers for where they can reach you, and a date for when you will be coming back so they know when to expect you. If anyone is coming to check on your house, make sure they know that person and know when they will be coming over so it doesn’t look suspicious. You may also want to give your neighbors an extra key so that they can go and check on things if they see anything unusual or suspicious. You should also arrange for them to collect your mail or any packages that might be sent to your house.

If you have family in the area, you may want to also make sure they know you are going out of town and that your neighbors have their contact information in case of emergency.

Considering Insurance

If you do have anything in your home that is particularly valuable, you will want to make sure you have appropriate insurance before you go. Make sure the individual items are insured or that you have an appropriate insurance plan to cover any items that may be at risk. Also make sure your home or renters insurance covers you in event of damage or break in.

If you have any items that have lots of personal or emotional value, you may want to remove them from the house or put them in a secure and hidden place. If you have a safe, that might be a good option. Otherwise, you may just want to put them somewhere hidden and out of the way so they won’t be taken either intentionally or accidentally.

Try to Relax!

The likelihood of your home being broken into while you are on vacation is likely no higher than when you are home. Give yourself some peace of mind and just enjoy your vacation once you’ve find a way to make everything feel secure!