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BlogDecember 16, 2017

5 Simple Tips to Protect Your Home While You’re Away

Summer is a fantastic time of year when the kids are home, you’ve got some time off work, and you’re free to take a well deserved break away. Unfortunately the stats show that it’s also the peak season for break-ins and burglaries with would-be intruders taking advantage of the empty streets and homes.

Whether you’re going away just for the weekend or for an extended holiday, here are some steps to ensure you’re protecting your home this holiday season.
 
 

1. Keep your plans private

A trip overseas is great news that you’ll obviously want to share with friends and family. However be sensible and remember who you’re sharing you’re information with. Ensure that your social media settings are up-to-date and that you’re only sharing updates with your direct circle of friends.
 

2. Ensure your home looks lived-in

Short of announcing to the web that you’re about to head off on a month-long holiday to the Bahamas, the next surefire way to let burglars know when you’re away is to let your home look like you’ve gone away.

The first way around this is to get some close friends or family members to house-sit if you’re away for a few days. A good choice might be some older teenagers or slightly older children of close family friends. They might enjoy living in a place of their own for a few days and make sure your home looks lived-in by simply living in it.

Now, you might not have friends or family that could take care of home for an extended period of time. The next best option is to have someone handle the small things which keep a home looking like a home. This might include:

  • Clearing out the mail every few days.
  • Bringing out the bins each week.
  • Keeping the lawn mowed.
  • Keeping a car in the driveway.
  • Using timers to turn on your lights/radio each night.

You may not anyone nearby to do these for you but it is as easy as putting your mail on hold or hiring a gardener each week or so to keep everything looking tidy.
 

3. Keep your neighbours in the loop

It’s always handy to let your neighbours know if you’re going away for an extended period of time. You might not be extremely close with your neighbours—in fact you may have never spoken with them before—but letting them know you’re away is as easy as a handwritten note left in the mailbox when you’re about to head out. This way they’ll be more aware of any suspicious activity that’s happening next door.

Key information to include in the note would be when you expect to return and the contact number of a close friend or family member in case anything comes up. Oh and don’t forget to say thank you!
 

4. Hide any valuables

Have you recently gotten a new gaming console? Did you recently splurge some cash on a new appliance? Keeping these items hidden away from prying eyes as simply as using your curtains and blinds. If that isn’t an option, just make sure they they are placed in a storage area as these items make for an attractive grab and go for burglars if they are able to be viewed.
 

5. Maintain a strong defence with signage

Call us a little biased but a monitored alarm system does help in deterring intruders from breaking into your home. Ensure your signage is visible at any vulnerable points in the home, e.g. front door, back door, bedroom windows, etc. Also make sure that your signage is up to date, i.e. not peeling or worn, otherwise it’s a strong indication to burglars that the system either hasn’t been monitored for a while or that it hasn’t been serviced for a number of years.
 
 
Summary
Hopefully these simple steps will give you greater peace of mind and help you make the most of your holiday. Have any other ideas? Let us know on Facebook.

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