If you’re planning to leave on vacation, it’s important for you to know the risks of leaving your home unattended. Vacation is a great time for break-ins – just maybe not for you. Leaving your home empty for any period of time is a magnet for burglaries, but more than a day at a time raises that chance exponentially. That’s why it’s important to boost your home security before leaving overnight.
Robbers love to scope out a target house for a while before attempting to break in. This ensures that they’re familiar with the owner’s schedule and how many people live in the house. If you’re suddenly leaving signs that you’re on vacation, your house becomes a burglary free-for-all.
There are so many ways that one becomes a target while on vacation. So how do we fool would-be robbers into thinking we’re not really gone at all? Let’s take a look at the most important thing: making it look like someone is physically in the house.
Getting Outside Help
The first thing you should do is make it look like someone is home. There are lots of ways to achieve this. The most thorough way to do this is to actually have someone in the home. Hiring someone you trust to stay over at your place for a while is a great break-in deterrent. You can be sure whoever you hire will appreciate your diligence as well. After all, who doesn’t like making a quick buck by camping out at someone’s house for a few days? There’s also an added bonus! If you have pets or plants that need regular care, a house-sitter can keep up on those tasks as well.
If you don’t have the spare cash on hand for a house-sitter, put a car in the driveway. Asking a neighbor to park in front of your house or pulling a second vehicle from the garage is great for this. Visible signs that someone may be home are a great burglar deterrent.
Setting the Stage
If you don’t like asking favors or you’re uncomfortable with someone staying in your home, there are more options. Try setting the stage!
First and foremost, keep lights on. It won’t give you the dip in your electricity bill that you might have had with everything turned off, but the security it provides will more than pay for itself. For extra security, use outlet timers. Have the lights turn on and off at certain times so that it’s harder to tell they’ve just been left on.
The next thing you can do is leave the TV on. The telltale lights flashing against your living room blinds are sure to be convincing. The same way as with the lights, add some extra oomf by using an outlet timer.
There are so many ways to keep your home looking occupied that we couldn’t fit it all in one post. Not to worry, we won’t leave you in the dark. Part 2 will touch on some oversights people make with their home security when going on vacation. We’ll also drop in some more ways to trick burglars into leaving your home alone! While you’re waiting for the next upload, try checking Youtube for other creative, DIY home security ideas.