Whether you travel every summer or have delayed travel since COVID-19, According to the U.S. Travel Association, 85 percent of Americans plan to travel this summer. June, July and August are among the most popular vacation months. Unfortunately, this is also when most home burglaries peak. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or haven’t ventured away from home since pre-COVID times, Home Telecom has some helpful reminders for how you can protect your home while on vacation this summer.
Protect Your Home While On Vacation: Inside Your House
Here are helpful tips and advice for protecting the inside of your home while you’re basking in the sun this summer.
- Set Timers for Interior Lights — Criminals often look for crimes of opportunity, meaning people that are not home. Setting timers on your interior lights can make it quickly look like someone is home, helping detour burglars from breaking and entering.
- Alert Your Alarm Company — If you have an automatic security system, contact your provider to let them know you’ll be away from home. Always make sure to set your alarm when you leave, and consider remote HomeSmart monitoring with Home Telecom to give you extra peace of mind when you travel.
- Power Surges — It’s impossible to predict power surges, so being prepared is best. Disconnect your TV, computer and electronics and ensure that a surge protector protects anything plugged in.
- Secure All Valuables — If you don’t have a safe at home, consider renting a safe deposit box. Also, make sure that you don’t have anything valuable in plain view that burglars can see from windows. Additionally, it’s never a bad idea to lock up jewelry, weapons, medications, social security cards, passports, estate planning documents and other essential or irreplaceable items.
- Check Doors and Windows — Check all your doors and windows and securely lock them before leaving.
- Set the HVAC — Use a programmable thermostat to help lower your air conditioning usage, and always check or change the thermostat’s battery before you leave.
- Stay Off Social Media — As tempting as it may be, resist broadcasting that you’re on vacation on social media.
Protecting the Outside of Your Home While on Vacation
As important as it is to protect the inside of your home, don’t forget about the outside. Taking precautions to protect your home while on vacation can help detour burglars driving by and looking for a target.
- Stop Mail and Newspapers — As important as it is to protect the inside of your home, don’t forget about the outside. Taking precautions to protect home while on vacation can help detour burglars driving by and looking for a target.
- Lawn Care — Make sure that your lawn is cared for by a local service or neighbor and before leaving, make sure that any tree branches that can provide easy access to your home receive regular trimmings.
- Exterior Lighting — Installing motion lights or setting outdoor lights on timers can help detour burglars.
- Lock the Garage — Even if your garage is separate and doesn’t have access to the inside of your home, you still have valuables in your garage that are costly to replace if stolen. Always lock all exterior access points. If you have an outdoor shed, consider installing a lock too.
- Security Plants — Consider installing security plants under windows to help detour thieves from breaking and entering. If you’re not sure what types of plants to install, read this helpful list of best landscaping plants for security.
- Spare Keys — While it may be tempting to hide a key around the exterior of your home, burglars are well attuned to popular hiding places, such as under potted plants, beneath mats or under patio furniture.
By being aware and taking security precautions before you leave, you can help protect your home while on vacation.