4 Vacation Home Security Tips for Staying Safe While Travelling

With all the excitement and preparation that goes into a trip or vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is your home security while you’re gone. Here are four vacation home security tips for making sure your trip is worry-free and your return home does not have any unwanted surprises.
Find a House-Sitter for the Best Security House-sitting does not need to mean someone who lives in your house while you’re away – it can merely be a neighbor you trust to keep an eye on things. To be safe, choose a couple of neighbors on your street that you know well and trust with your home’s security. Give them the dates that you will be out of town and ask if they can look in on your home. If you can rely on their discretion, you may even want to give them a spare house key and ask them to come inside to turn on different lights, take out garbage cans, and give the appearance that someone is still in the house.

Set Up Light Timers for a Live-In Look while on Vacation Most hardware stores sell electric timers for just this reason. Some models will allow you to choose multiple times in a 24-hour period for lights to come on and turn off. Make sure you time a light to be on after dusk, as most break-ins occur at night. Try to time lights in different rooms and different hours to give the appearance of someone moving around the house.

Keep the a Radio on in the Home for Noise While you want most of your electronic devices unplugged while you’re away, it’s worthwhile to keep a television or radio turned on to a talk station. The sounds of human voices inside is enough to deter a would-be thief who may be scoping the house. Even if they do break in, they will leave quickly when they realize someone might be home!
Hire a Home Landscaping Company for Security Neighbors can be helpful here, but even if you don’t live near a teenager willing to make some extra cash, it isn’t difficult to keep the yard looking well-cared-for. Use timers for sprinklers to water plants during the summer, or salt driveways and sidewalks well in the winter. It may also be worth purchasing lawn lights with daylight sensors to turn on at night.
Whether you’re leaving your home for the weekend or the season, these small precautions can ensure your home’s security while you’re away and provide an anxiety-free trip for you and your family.

Rob Toccs travels several times a year and always uses these vacation home security tips.
More from Rob:
Facts about “American Gothic”
Low-Sodium Hot Sauce Recipe
How to Choose Fish
Introducing Freshwater Fish at Home
How to Caulk a Bathtub