6 Ways To Keep Your Home Safe While You're Away

Most of us associate the holidays with spending more time with family and friends, eating delicious food, or taking a break. Criminals, on the other hand, see this as an opportunity to break into homes. Don't let the excitement of a well-deserved holiday blind you to the dangers of leaving your home unprotected. Take precautions before you leave to keep your home and belongings secure while you're away, so you don't have to worry about security once you're on the road to fun and adventure. 

Here are 6 ways to keep your home safe while you are away:-
 

1. Remember To Lock Up
   
   Locking all your doors before going on vacation is a no-brainer, but don't forget to secure other openings, such as pet doors or mail slots, to prevent burglars from reaching in with a tool and unlocking the door. If you have an automatic garage door, consider disconnecting the electronic opener and instead placing a padlock on the track.
    

2. Hire a House or Pet Sitter
   
   The best way to ensure that your home is safe while you are away is to have someone you trust live in it. You might be fortunate to have a tidy and conscientious relative who will temporarily move in and water the plants, feed the pets, and pick up the newspapers. If not, there are services available for house and pet sitting while you are away. This is a more expensive option, but it covers all the bases.
    

3. Make Your Home Appear Lived-In
   
   To avoid becoming another crime statistic, make it appear as if someone is still at home. Set timers on lights, radios, and televisions to turn on at different times in the morning and evening. Position window blinds and curtains as usual, but take care not to expose expensive home furnishings or appliances. While you're at it, have a neighbour collect your mail and arrange for your newspaper delivery to be stopped.
    

4. Notify Your Alarm Company (Or Fool Burglars Into Thinking You Have One)
   
   Make sure your alarm is operational by having it tested at least a week before you leave. What if you don't have an alarm system? Install fake security company signs to fool burglars, and if you really want to go all out, consider installing fake security cameras.
    

5. Unplug Your Appliances
   
   To avoid electrical fires or power surges caused by loadshedding, unplug all unnecessary non-timed appliances, such as televisions, kettles, and lamps. Turning off your garage door is another effective way to keep thieves from using a universal remote to open it. Oh, and don't leave a portable GPS in your car when using long-term airport parking. It will notify thieves that you are not at home and provide them with a map to your house.
    

6. Be Careful With What You Share On Social Media
   
   We know how tempting it is to share details or photos from your vacation on social media. But, while that barely-filtered photo of a bright blue lagoon makes all your friends jealous, it also reveals to potential thieves that you're far away from home. To keep burglars at bay, don't reveal any details about your trip until you return. If you can't resist, here's a workable solution: Remove geotags from social media posts using a metadata removal tool, or disable your phone's geotagging feature. Also, make certain that your sharing settings are set to private or "Friends Only."