How to Prepare Your Home Before a Vacation
You’ve finally got your perfect vacation planned and ready. The last thing you need to be worrying about is anything happening to your home or possessions while you are enjoying paradise. There are many things you can do to prevent burglars from targeting your home while you are away, and every additional security measure can make a difference.
It’s always best to start out by letting your neighbors know that you’ll be leaving and giving them the dates of your expected departure and return. Good neighbors will keep an eye on your house while you are on vacation, and will be able to reach the authorities if they notice any suspicious activity on your property. The more people that know about your vacation, the better. Just make sure that you can trust these people to keep an extra eye on your home. It is also advisable to have a friend or neighbor collect your mail from the mailbox every day. Piled up mail is a dead give-away that you are not home and that your house is vulnerable. If you cannot find anyone who will be able to collect your mail each day, contact the local post office and have them hold all mail until you return from your trip.
Most burglaries occur during the day when people are at work or school. However, there are some robberies which occur during the night. To thwart these burglars while you are away, it’s as simple as turning on a light in your home that is readily visible from the outside. Putting these lights on a timer will allow for a more authentic effect and will deter any would-be burglars that are monitoring your home. Before leaving, make sure that all of the bulbs are relatively new and not in danger of burning out while you are away. Motion-sensing security flood lights are also a very effective security feature. As long as these lights are installed in a position that makes them impossible to disable, they will put the spotlight on any trespassers that are on your property, drawing unwanted attention to the burglar.
Many thieves use dense shrubs or bushes to conceal themselves while attempting to break into your home. By trimming back any overgrown sections of your landscaping, you can eliminate these potential hiding spots. Every small step will decrease the overall chance that a burglar will target your home. Burglars can also use other items that you’ve left lying around to their advantage. Any ladders or stackable boxes that will allow a trespasser a method of gaining entry to windows should be stored or hidden away. Outdoor furniture that is placed near your house can become an efficient stepstool that can allow a burglar onto your roof and near any windows in the vicinity.
Make sure any valuable items are not visible from an outside window. The last thing you want is a thief window-shopping before he breaks into your home and knows exactly what to go for. Drawing your drapes or blinds is a simple way to prevent thieves from scouting out potential loot inside your home.
While you’re gone, you can save money by disconnecting any electrical appliances that you will not be using while you are away. This includes turning down the thermostat and possibly shutting off water heater. There’s no need to be paying for utilities that aren’t going to be used while you’re not home.
If you follow these simple guidelines, you can greatly reduce the risk of a burglar choosing your home as a perfect target while you are away on vacation and unable to protect your belongings. The small amount of time invested into these security measures will ensure absolute peace of mind that will allow you to enjoy your trip.
