It's the peak of summertime, which means that many families are going to take their summer vacation before the school year starts again! Though, the last thing you want to worry about when enjoying your fun in the sun is whether or not your home is secure while you’re away.
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that house burglary numbers are highest during the summer. Take extra measures to protect your home while on vacation with these four simple tips.
Take your security systems up a notch.
It never hurts to have more than one way to secure your home. Other than the obvious methods, like using motion-activated lights and an alarm system, there are a couple ways you can secure your home further. A measure you might take to securing your home is to reinforce your doors with lock strike plates. When installed, these will strengthen the deadbolt in your door making it more difficult for burglars to intrude. Adding sash pins to your double-hung windows will also provide greater security.
Mow your lawn.
Upkeeping your lawn can be a simple way to secure your home while you’re on summer vacation. If you’re lawn is left untamed during vacation, this tips off the burglar that you’re not home. Try arranging for someone to mow your lawn while you’re out of town in addition to mowing it before you leave.
Create a “lived in” look even while you’re away.
Going hand in hand with mowing your lawn, you can also take some measures to make it look like you’re home while on vacation. Install timers in and around your home to power on at a designated time. This could include the TV, lamps or your porch light. Another helpful tip is to ask a neighbor to take your trash cans to the curb when it’s Trash Day so that your home doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Hide your valuables from plain view.
When burglars are scoping out homes, the first place they can see through is your windows. If you normally keep valuables in plain sight, i.e. your large TV, laptop, etc., conceal these either by removing them from the window’s view or using blinds or blackout curtains. In addition, don’t leave boxes from that brand new desktop computer you just purchased next to the trash can outside. Break down the box and dispose of it so that you’re not leaving behind any clues.
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