Going away somewhere nice? Whilst you’re relaxing on a sunny beach, there will always be a part of your mind that stresses about the safety of the house. Remove the added stress of “will the house be ok?” by following these top tips for securing your home.
1. Alarm home intruders
60% of home invasions attempted on a home with a house alarm fail, according to research by Yale locks. House alarm technology has made massive leaps forward in recent years. Some smart alarms can be controlled by your smart phone and feature a camera so you can see why the alarm has been triggered.
2. Make it look like someone is home
Ensure you mow the grass before heading off on holiday, remove clothes from the washing line and visible airers. It’s also a good idea to leave your curtains open, so that the house looks open.
Using similar Smart products, it is possible to make it look like someone is home. You can control the lights in your home from your phone. If this is out of your price range, park the car on the drive or invest in security lighting.
3. Turn it off
Make sure you turn everything off at the socket and unplug it (except the trusty fridge!) By doing this you reduce the risk of a fire and lower your energy bills.
4. Don’t broadcast your absence
These days, posting on social media is as much a part of a holiday as sun cream and ice cream, however, by posting online you let everyone know that you’re not home. Try to resist posting anything until you get home.
5. Post Pile-Up
A huge pile of post is a major give away for potential thieves. It’s unlikely you can get someone to come round every day to pick up the mail, so why not take advantage of the Royal Mail’s KeepSafe scheme? They can hold onto your mail for up to 66 days whilst you’re away, then you can schedule for them to deliver at a date to suit you.
6. Lock the door!
Sounds obvious? You’ll probably be plagued by the irrational fear that you’ve not locked all the doors and windows for the entirety of the holiday. Make sure you lock and deadbolt the door (leaving through the back) and make sure you lock up the garage. If you have some money going spare, you could invest in smart locks which require a pin and can be locked by remote.