If you’re like most people, summer means time to vacation and relax away from home- and work-related stress. But if you haven’t taken certain preventative steps to protect your home while you’re away, you might just find a few unwelcome surprises when you come back. Here are some tips to follow when you’re preparing to leave home for a while and want to make sure that everything stays safe while you’re gone:
- Unplug appliances. This is something that’s good to practice all the time, since keeping appliances plugged in wastes money and energy. But before going on a long vacation, it’s a good idea to unplug big appliances and electronics like the TV and refrigerator (make sure to empty it first, of course) as well as smaller appliances like the coffeemaker and curling iron.
- Have a system which makes it look like you’re still at home. A lot of people keep lights or sound-creating appliances (like a radio) on a timer so that they turn on, even when no one is home. Keeping lights and (normal) sounds on a regular schedule, similar to when you would normally use them at home, tends to fool potential burglars into thinking that you still are home.
- Make sure the locks on your doors and windows are all working properly. This step seems simple, but it can actually make a huge difference. If you suspect that any of your locks aren’t working properly, calling in outside help from one of many legitimate commercial locksmith services may be in order. Many residential locksmith services are willing to make home visits — even companies that tend to specialize in emergency locksmith services — and evaluate the security of your home. Many businesses offer both residential locksmith services as well as auto car locksmith services (for those of us without garages who have to leave our cars on the street). It isn’t hard these days to find a locksmith who can evaluate your home and cars.
It’s important to keep in mind that one generic security system isn’t ideal for every house, i.e., just like all homes are different, all security systems should be different as well. These beginning steps can help you evaluate what your house needs in order to stay protected even when you’re gone. Continue reading here.