Safeguarding Your Home While on Vacation

According to the FBI, a burglary occurs every 14 seconds in the U.S. In total, there were 2,179,140 burglaries in the U.S. in 2007. Contrary to popular belief, most of these offenses occur during the daytime because that is when homes are most likely to be vacant. Homes that appear unoccupied are prime targets for burglars, which is especially a problem for homeowners who plan on taking a vacation. If you plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time, you should take certain precautions in order to ensure the safety of your home. In this post, we will present a vacation checklist to help safeguard your home while on vacation.

1. Use automatic timers on interior lights, such as lamps, and exterior lights.
2. Have your calls forwarded. If you can, try to forward your calls from your home phone to a cell phone or another number. Otherwise burglars can verify that no one is home by calling your house.
3. Have a neighbor collect the mail and the paper every day. Burglars target homes that appear vacant, and piled up newspapers and mail are red flags to thieves that no one is home. If possible, don’t have your paper or mail stopped, as doing so will give away information about your absence to strangers.
4. Keep up your landscaping and/or snow removal service. If you’re going to be away for a substantial amount of time, make sure you have arrangements to have your lawn mowed or the snow shoveled from your driveway and walks.
5. Ask a neighbor to handle your trash cans. If you will be gone on trash pick-up day, ask a trusted neighbor to put out your trash cans and take them back in. You might even ask your neighbor to use your trash cans while you are on vacation, as thieves sometimes check for empty trash cans as a sign that you are away.
6. Get a timer system that will automatically open and close curtains. Homeowners can buy timer devices that will automatically open and close window draperies to fool thieves into thinking someone is home. Constantly open or closed blinds may alert burglars of your absence.
7. Tell a neighbor you will be away. Even if you don’t need him/her to do anything for you, let a trustworthy neighbor know you will be gone and for how long. He/she can keep an eye on the house for you to watch for any suspicious activity.
8. Ask the police to patrol the area. If you plan on being gone for a extended period of time, request that your local police check on your home every once in a while.
9. Put radios & TVs on automatic timers. Turn up your radios and televisions so they can be heard from outside the house and place them on timers that will turn them on and off periodically throughout the day.
10. Turn down your phone & answering machine. A burglar might listen for an unanswered phone or a growing number of voicemails for a tip off that you’re away. Turn down the ringer on your phone and the volume on your answering machine so they cannot be heard from the outside of your home.