Steps to Take to Secure Our Home When Traveling

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We all travel for different reasons.  Whether we're traveling away from home entails work or pleasure, we need to take steps to secure our home.  

You can help to prevent your safety domain from being a target while you are away.  Law enforcement reports state that July and August are the more popular vacation and travel months.  

They also say that this is the time frame when burglars seek to rob homes.  Make appropriate plans to secure your home both inside and outside with the following checklist:

House Sitter

If possible, have a trusting friend or family member temporarily stay in the house while you are away.  This is a priority action to take, so think about this as a security decision very carefully.  But it is an option.  

Inside Your Home

1. Lock doors and windows:  Double-check all your doors and their low profile barn door hardware for security.  Check your windows to ensure that they are closed and locked.
   
   
2. Timers:  Invest in interior light timers.  The technology for timers has advanced. Timers can be set to come on at different times and on different days. This helps gives the appearance that someone is home. They are affordable and can be placed in every room of the home.
   
   
3. Secure valuables:  Don’t leave anything of value out in the open.  Invest in a safe deposit box off-site or in the home in a hidden space.
   
   
4. Unplug:  Even if you are away from your home for a week, it is always a good idea to unplug. Disconnect your computers, the TV, the entertainment systems, kitchen appliances, and more.  Taking these precautions helps to prevent a power surge in your absence.  
   
   
5. Pipes: We normally do not think about protecting the pipes in our homes. This is not normally on your checklist when you leave the home. If you are traveling during the winter months, set your thermostat properly.  With smart thermostats today, you don’t need to worry about the temperature of your home.  Ask a friend, family member, or good neighbor to come by and turn on the faucets to keep them from freezing.  

Another precaution to take to keep your home secure when traveling is not to tell everyone on social media sites.  Don’t show photos of your trip until you return home. Don’t tell everyone that you are looking forward to traveling because this helps to alert thieves when you will be away from home.

An additional tip is to contact your alarm company. Call the security company and give them the dates that you will be away and when you will return.  Set your alarms when you leave. If you have remote monitoring this is a great secure technology.  

Outside the Home

1. Appearance is everything:  Have someone keep your lawn maintained. Stop all deliveries like newspapers and mail.
   
   
2. Outdoor lighting: If you don’t already have exterior lights, it helps to invest in them.  These lights can also be set on an off and on schedule.  They are a great deterrent against crime.

3. Garage: If you have a security system in the garage, this is a great safety measure. But if you have an older model garage door, place a bar across the door from the inside.  If your garage opens via an automatic system, turn it off.  Also, secure any doors that connect from the garage into the home.

4. Security Cameras: A wide-angle surveillance camera and a motion sensor make a huge difference in catching a thief. Investments like cameras that can be controlled through your smartphone are safety features that every home should have. Modern-day video doorbell systems can be monitored through a security company that is alerted when there is an attempted break-in.

We don't take a trip with the thought of an emergency occurring, yet it does happen. Long before you leave on a trip or vacation, make a list like the above occurrences and check it off. Another idea that will save us any type of financial loss is to check our homeowner’s insurance policy.  

Re-read the insurance clauses to find out what is covered and what isn’t.  If your trip or vacation takes you away from home for an extended amount of time, think about updating your policy.  

If you need to file a claim, contact your insurance company immediately. Yes, even communicating with your insurance company is a way of securing your home and valuables.