Spring is finally here, and most of us are starting to think about camping trips, vacations and get-aways. While you are away, your home can be vulnerable to break-ins, but here are eight tips to keep your home safe. These tips are not only important to consider if you are away, but if you are selling your home and it is vacant, or when you are home to reduce the risk.
- Take your garage door opener out of your car. If someone breaks into your car and your opener is in there, they now have access to your garage, and if your inside garage door is open, they have access to your house.
- Keep your doors locked. That seems obvious, but it is easy to forget to lock the inside garage door, or even the side one, giving easy access to the garage and house. It’s also easy to miss one. Check that all doors and windows are locked before you leave town, and its best practice to make sure they are all locked, even at night.
- Install exterior motion lights on the outside of the house to help brighten dark areas. If you don’t have motion detector lights, it’s best to leave your exterior lights on while you are away.
- Consider installing home and vehicle alarms, and anti-theft devices.
- Have someone check your home, even if you are only away for a few days. Have them make sure you don’t have mail or flyers left on the doorstep while they are there too. Added bonus – having someone check your home regularly can also save you serious money if something goes wrong, such as a pipe bursting.
- Use lights on timers to make sure it looks like someone is home in the evenings and arrange for yard maintenance.
- Cancel newspaper or deliveries to your door for the time you are away.
- Enjoy your vacation worry-free!
