Home Security Tips For While You Vacation or Travel

Taking a vacation from work with the family or traveling for any reason at all can be fun and exciting. But the planning, preparation, packing and everything else leading up to the trip can be stressful. Then, when you’re finally gone, worrying about the security of your home can put a damper on the vacation. Don’t let stress ruin your adventure!

Fortunately, the residential security experts at Pop-A-Lock have a list of tips and tricks to help relieve this stress and ensure your home’s security while you’re gone!

In addition to trip research and packing, your pre-vacation to-do list should include security measures for your home. Below are a number of things you can do before you leave for your trip to keep your home secure so you can rest easy while you’re away.

• Set your lights on timers. Having lights turn on and off automatically can make it look like someone is home, even if they’re not. This is a great way to deter potential thieves from entering your home.
• Take all spare keys inside. If you typically keep any keys in a lock box, under a rock, in the mailbox  – anywhere outside you home – take them inside. Don’t give thieves any temptation.
• Have exterior lighting. A well-lit exterior – particularly with motion-sensored lights – will likely scare off anyone creeping around your property.
• Don’t post publicly that you’ll be away. A tell-tale status update can flag to someone creeping online that your house is going to be empty.
• Unplug non-essential electronics, like computers and TVs. Apart from the threat of someone breaking into your home, there’s also the possibility of a power surge. Unplugging extra electronics will help minimize damage and the threat of an electricity fire while you’re away.

Now that you’ve done all the prep work and it’s finally time to leave on your trip, there are a few more security measures that we suggest having in place while you’re away.

• Hire a company to keep your lawn mowed and landscaping kept up. Overgrown grass and bushes can signify to crooks that the home has been vacant for some time and tempt them to go inside.
• Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail for you. Or, if you’ll be gone long enough, put a temporary stop on your mail. Like the grass, an overflowing mailbox is another signal to crooks that the house has been empty.
• Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your house. Neighbors can make for great eyes and ears while you’re gone. They’re already in the neighborhood, and can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around your home. If they know you’re gone and aren’t expecting anyone to be at your home, they’ll know something is wrong and can call the police.

It can be nerve-wracking to leave your home for any extended period of time. But there are a number of things you can do to increase your home’s security and alleviate that stress!

Our locksmithing experts have created a free home security audit. The checklist can help you create a safe environment for you and your family – while you’re home and away.

If you’re interested in re-keying your home or upgrading your home’s locks, contact your local Pop-A-Lock today!