If you’re heading to the beach, overseas, or somewhere else this summer, make sure that you’ve taken the necessary steps to protect your house while you’re gone. Below are a few ways to lock up and get peace of mind while you’re away, so you can fully relax and enjoy your trip!
A dark house alerts criminals to the fact that no one’s around. A light switch timer is a great, low-cost way to create the illusion that someone’s at home and moving around the house. Light switch timers are available at most home improvement stores, and are generally inexpensive.
Instead of drawing your curtains shut, leave them exactly as they always are during the week. However, be sure to move expensive items, like computers, out plain sight if they are visible from the windows.
A week’s worth of paper and letters piled at your front step could be a signal to thieves that you’re away. To avoid this, you can easily put a temporary stop order on your mail, or arrange for a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you while you’re away.
Although you might be tempted to announce your upcoming trip to the world, be careful about what you post on social media. If you absolutely must talk about your trip, try to be as vague as possible about when you’ll leave and how long you’ll be gone. In addition, try to avoid hashtags such as #vacation—some criminals do browse these tags to find good targets. Read our blog to learn more tips for being safe on social media this summer.
Let a trusted neighbor know that you will be out of town, and ask him or her to keep an eye on the place for you. You might want to choose someone who passes the house every day on his or her daily run or dog walking trip, so as not to inconvenience anyone. If several neighbors will be watching the house, don’t forget to let them know about each other–you don’t want Neighbor A calling the cops on Neighbor B!
If you’ll be away for a long time, installing surveillance cameras, access controls, and gate operators can help give you peace of mind. If you live in or near Charlotte NC, call James Access Controls for all your security needs!