When the school year is getting long and the kids are getting antsy, a trip away for spring break or holidays can be a good way to recharge and finish the year out strong! Whether that means you’ll be flying overseas or driving to a hotel an hour away, you’ll want to make sure your home is protected.
Use the mySafeTouch App
Why is a good home security system important when you’re out of town? The worst way you can spend your vacation is by sitting poolside worrying about your home’s security! No more wondering, “Did I remember to lock all the windows?” or “Why do I have this sinking feeling that we left the garage door open?”
All of the home security systems at SafeTouch Security can be monitored and managed using the mySafeTouch app on your smartphone or tablet. In addition to the team of professionals ready to respond to and keep you informed about abnormal activity, the mySafeTouch app is designed for your peace of mind. The app allows you to remotely access your security system to check cameras, lock doors, monitor energy use, and so much more!
No matter where you go for vacation, you can use the mySafeTouch app to double check and reassure any nagging feelings — then put your device away so you can relax.
Use Automation to Make Your Home Smarter Than a Burglar
Empty houses stand out to prowlers for several reasons. One thing that tells potential burglars that a house is not currently occupied is that the house remains dark throughout the day. Believe it or not, many burglars stake out houses for days or weeks leading up to a burglary, making note of your family’s schedule and patterns and your home’s points of entry.
One of the biggest deterrents for a burglar wanting to take advantage of you being on vacation is not being able to tell you’re not at home. That means giving the illusion of your house being lived in, and that brings us to the topic of automation.
What is home automation? What makes it so smart? A smart home uses automation to do a lot of everyday tasks for you, saving you money, time, and energy — in more ways than one! Home automation takes the guesswork out of your nighttime routine. No more trying to remember if you turned the kitchen lights off or whether all the doors are locked. Your house takes care of the little things so you can focus on what’s more important. Maybe that makes you the smart one!
Keep Your Vacation Details Off Social Media
It may seem like no big deal to post on social media about your vacation, especially since you’ve probably seen other people’s vacation photos in your feeds many times. By all means, take as many photos as you want to of your beautiful vacation. Those memories are invaluable, especially if you have kids who are nearing adulthood. Take all the pictures your phone or cloud storage can hold! Just don’t post any of them on your social media accounts until you’re back from vacation.
Potential thieves can get a lot of helpful information from your posts, especially if you include a lengthy caption about your plans or who from your family couldn’t make it. They can often figure out your location and determine how long it will take you to return home, calculating their window of opportunity. If you must post, give as few details as possible. For example, say you want to post a picture of your family at the beach. Instead of giving it a caption like, “Enjoying sunny Miami with the whole family this week” try, “Enjoying the sunshine with family.” The personal information has been removed, but the sentiment remains basically unchanged.
Keep Up Appearances
This isn’t exactly the same as Keeping Up With the Joneses, but you may want to enlist your neighbors’ help anyway. When you’re away from your home for an extended period of time, burglars take notice. That is, there tend to be physical clues indicating to potential burglars that the house is currently unoccupied.
In addition to using home automation settings to make the interior of your house seem active, some general yard upkeep can help prevent burglaries. These are some clues potential thieves pay attention to:
Your Mail Is Piling Up
When you go out of town, the rest of the world continues to operate as you left it. That means that, unless you contact your post office about holding your mail, envelopes, packages, and newspapers will continue to arrive. Over time, this may cause the mailbox to become overly full. That overstuffed mailbox combined with untouched Amazon boxes or a collection of unread newspapers signal to any prowlers that no one is home.
To avoid advertising your empty house to a burglar, ask a neighbor or nearby friend to get your mail while you’re away. Have someone take your packages inside until you are able to pick them up. These are simple tasks that can really make a difference.
Your Lawn Needs To Be Cut
When every house in the neighborhood has a neatly manicured lawn except yours (even if you aren’t on vacation), you may attract the attention of a potential burglar.
Is there a neighbor you know you can trust? Would they be willing and/or able to take care of your lawn while you’re out of town? If you aren’t comfortable asking for a favor, perhaps a neighborhood teen can mow your lawn for some cash. If getting help from a neighbor is simply out of the question, ask local family or friends, or hire a lawn service!
Your Driveway Is Empty
If you’re on vacation, there’s a decent chance your car is either with you or parked at an airport somewhere. However, having a car in the driveway can act as a deterrent to burglary. Consider asking a neighbor to park their car there while you’re away.