The holidays are the most exciting time of the year as they are a time to relax and have fun. However, to ensure that your home is well-protected before you leave, you will need to follow some safety tips.
The holidays are known to be the busiest time of the year as this is a time filled with shopping for the best deals and planning for the perfect holiday. With all this going on, it can be easy to overlook your home’s protection; however, before embarking on holidays, you must not leave your home vulnerable to crime. You can go through the checklist below to ensure that your home is well-protected before leaving for your holiday.
Make it seem like someone is home
When thieves are looking for a home to target, they will look for signs that indicate that your family is not at home. Depending on the signs that thieves detect, they will decide whether or not to target your home. Therefore, the most effective way that you can use to prevent burglaries is by giving the impression that you are at home, even when you are away. One simple way you can achieve this is by leaving outside lights on or asking a friend or trusted neighbour to stop by daily to ensure that your home is secure.
Do not leave spare keys outside
One of the things that thieves are good at is finding spare keys. Therefore, before leaving for the holidays, make sure that you remove all the spare keys that you are hiding on your property. If you do have a spare key, ensure that you give it to individuals you can trust, as if something were to happen, you would need someone nearby to help.
Secure all entryways
Doors and windows are vulnerable areas in your home as they are the first line of defence against intruders. This makes it essential to ensure that they are in excellent working condition. If you know that your locks are not strong enough, you should upgrade them. But most importantly, make a plan to install physical security barriers such as security gates and burglar bars. Our Trellidor experts are here to provide personalized service to suit your security needs.
Automate your home
With there being new technology advancements nearly every year, it has become easier to keep your home secure when on holiday. One of the solutions to improving your home’s security is using home automation, as it assists you in making burglars believe that you are home even while you are still on holiday. Home automation allows you to switch on lights using automatic timers that can turn on at night. There are also motion-activated outdoor lights that switch on when they detect movement, which effectively scares away intruders.
Invest in smart home security
There are smart security solutions, such as smart cameras and smart doorbells, that enable you to remain connected to your home from wherever you are. These smart security devices available on the market will allow you to hear, speak and see visitors while you are away on holiday through the app on your smartphone. Smart doorbells, for example, will send instant alerts to your smartphone or tablet whenever someone presses the doorbell or when the built-in motion sensors are triggered.
Hide valuables
The reality is that you might follow all the precautions that you can think of before going on holiday. However, there is no guarantee that your home won’t be broken into. Therefore, to ensure that you are better protected against burglaries, it is recommended that you do not leave any valuables in plain sight. Before leaving your home for the holidays, you should remember closing blinds and storing your valuables in a safe or somewhere hidden.
Avoid social media
Though it is common for people to post their holiday updates on social media, it is recommended that you do not share your travel plans on social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook. Your social media accounts can be dangerous as you cannot always trust the ‘friends’ on social media. Therefore, to ensure that you keep your property safe from burglaries when travelling, you should only share your plans with your trusted friends and avoid sharing travel pictures until you have safely returned home.
Hire a house sitter
Instead of pretending like someone is home while you are away, you can always hire a trustworthy house sitter who will look after your home while you are away. Most burglaries occur because certain signs indicate that a home is empty, even if you take the time to give the impression that you are at home. Therefore, hiring a house sitter will make your home less vulnerable, as, with a house sitter, your home will be occupied.
Conclusion
When you are leaving for the holidays, you can never be too safe. The holidays can be highly stressful, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your home’s safety and security when you are supposed to be relaxing. By using the home security checklist above, you will ensure that your home is well-protected before you leave for your holiday.
