It's the time of year when many homeowners travel and take vacations, thus leaving their homes unoccupied and at risk of being broken into. To avoid the headache of coming home from a vacation and finding out you've been robbed and your house has been damaged, take these precautions to protect your home and belongings.
12 Ways To Protect Your Home While You're on Vacation
- Tell a trusted neighbor that you'll be away and ask them to keep an eye on your house.
- Secure all locks on doors, windows, sheds, gates, and garages.
- Consider buying a security system. This investment can also lead to a reduction in the cost of homeowners insurance.
- Have your mail, newspaper, and any delivery services stopped while you're away.
- Leave indoor and outdoor lights on. Some smart home products even allow you to put lights on a timer or change which lights are on.
- Don't let your home appear empty; if you usually keep your curtains or blinds open, keep them open. If you have more than one car, consider parking it in the driveway so it looks like someone is there.
- Leaving a radio on in the home can prevent thieves from thinking your home is empty.
- Keep all valuables such as jewelry, paperwork, and money in a locked safe.
- Don't leave laptops out in the open, as burglars can access personal information from laptops once they have access to them.
- Consider hiring someone to mow your grass or shovel your driveway depending on the time of year so your home doesn't appear abandoned or vacant.
- Have someone take your trash to the curb on garbage day and bring the cans back to their usual spot.
- Don't post on social media that you're away. Wait to post pictures and updates until you're home!
