Preparing Your Home Before You Leave for Vacation

Time to pack that bathing suit and gorgeous beach hat you have been dying to wear! Summer vacationing is in the air! With all the madness of packing up you and the kids, making traveling arrangements, and building that itinerary, it is tempting to leave your home vulnerable to break-ins because you have not had the time to take those needed precautions in protecting your property while away. Roughly every thirteen seconds, a residential burglary is taking place in America, which leads to over 2,000,000 home break-ins a year. Most home burglaries occur when the home is vacant, usually while the household is at work or on vacation. How can you prevent these terrifying incidents from happening to you? Do not let your home security vulnerabilities turn your property into an easy target!

“Curb appeal” is a term used by realtors to show that a residence has that extra visual appeal to new home buyers. Well, that same term is used by professional burglars, meaning they found a vulnerable house to rob. Unkempt lawns and gardens, flimsy back doors instead of secure glass sliding doors, and homes located in cul-de-sacs all signify your home has that “curb appeal” burglars seek out. These factors indicate that the home is not frequently watched and easy to force entry.

The first step in protecting your home while on vacation is to know the mind of a burglar. Almost all breaking and entering incidents are researched and planned down to a science. Be aware of your surroundings! Professional robbers will park a car outside your home and watch or perform “walk-bys” to become more aware of your schedule and vulnerabilities of your home. The number one place in your home a thief tries to break in at is the back door. If the back door is secure with sliding glass, they move on to the windows or garage. As soon as the burglar is successful in entering the home, he or she goes straight to the bedroom to find valuables such as jewelry, money, weapons and electronics. Then they move on to the rest of the home. Burglars are speedy and quiet, typically in a home for less than ten minutes before they are long gone with your belongings.

Before departing for your much needed vacation, abide by these pre-vacationing safety tips to ensure home security while vacationing:

1. Keep your lips sealed! Do not advertise online, on Facebook, or on your voicemail that you are leaving town. Sometimes heists are arranged by individuals that you know.
2. Ask neighbors to be on alert of your property while on vacation. If you have a well-trusted neighbor, give them a key to check in on things and make it look like someone is home from time to time.
3. Hold mail and newspaper deliveries or ask a kind neighbor to collect them during your absence.
4. Appearance is everything! Make it look like your home. Construct a timer on your lights and television if possible, take care of your lawn and garden before departure, and ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway every so often.
5. Do a strong and long walk through around the outside of your home. Observe and inspect your home like a burglar. Look for vulnerable areas of the home that can be entered by force.
6. Lock up! Secure all doors and windows. Do not forget to lock that garage and shed!
7. Burglars DESPISE dogs. Even if you do not have a dog, purchase a “beware of dog” sign and a dog leash. Place both in the backyard near the door so it is well seen by anyone trying to break in or trespass on your property.
8. Burglars rarely go in the attic or basement. Store any valuables in these locations so they are further secure.
9. Be aware of your insurance policy. Call if you have any new purchases of valuable expensive items that need insured.
10. Invest in an alarm system and video surveillance. Do not forget to arm the system!

We take pride in our company and focus on the safety of our customers and their residences. We try to simplify your life and make it very easy to control your home by the web and mobile controls, powered by Alarm.com. These “on the go” controls assist you to power your home security system with your smartphone or computer, anywhere anytime.

Forgot to arm your alarm before leaving your home? No problem! You can even set up text alerts^† to notify you if your alarm is triggered while on vacation. We also offer video surveillance so you have live footage of any home break-ins or trespassing on your property. Vacationing is supposed to be the greatest time of the year. Don’t worry or stress about your home while lying on the beach drinking a frozen drink. Let Protection 1 take over and order another drink while you enjoy yourself! You deserve it!

† Message and data rates apply.