December 16, 2015 by Anas Mustafa
If you are planning a trip out of town – for a few days or a few weeks, you want to feel confident in knowing that your home and possessions will be secure. It is important to take key steps to keep your space safe – many of these basic preventative measures don’t take long to do and they can work wonders. Don’t spend your vacation time thinking about your home – spend it enjoying your time exploring the world!
Tips to safeguard your home when you are away:
Don’t post it all over social media. Who can resist telling your friends and family that you will be taking that Mediterranean cruise that you’ve been dreaming about or going on that African Safari? It’s hard, we know, but when you update your social media with “check ins” at the airport, you are pretty much telling people: “No one is home.” If you are one of the people with hundreds of friends on your social media, you might not know every person as well as others, and some might not have your best interest at heart, you want to make sure to not become a target of these people.
Have friends or family do check-ins. Have someone you trust check up on your house when you are out of town. Ask them to pick up the mail and flyers in your mailbox and get them to pick up trash bins that you might have forgotten about. If they are able to mow your lawn or do some general upkeep, this is ideal– you want your home to look like someone is there.
Prevent damages. You might want to consider turning off your water while you are away, or you might want to put your water heater on vacation mode. If you have smart technology, you can adjust your air conditioning and heating accordingly for when you return. These extra precautions can make a huge difference and can save you a lot of money.
Curtains. This is a difficult question: Should I keep them opened or closed? Our suggestion is to keep your curtains or blinds as you usually do. If you try to stick with your normal, you will not give burglars the hint that you might be out of the house.
Don’t leave spare keys around. You want to make sure that keys are only in the hands of those who have access to your house. Despite how grand you think you hiding spot is, it’s likely somewhere a burglar knows to look, so ensure there are no spare keys left out while you’re away.
Leave the lights on. If you have lamps, you might want to get them set on a timer. This will make it look like someone is home in the evenings and give the house the “occupied” look it needs to deter those who are looking to break in.
Plug it out. Unplug things such as your computer, TV coffee makers and toasters, this will protect your items from power surges and will save power in your home.
You always want to make sure your home looks occupied and is as safe as possible while you’re away. For more information, contact our Canadian Security Professionals team today.
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