Securing Your Home When You’re Away
It’s no secret that an occupied home is much less likely to be broken into than one that is unoccupied. That means securing your home while you’re away is of paramount importance. If you are going on vacation, heading out to spend the holidays with distant family, or just going on an extended business trip, it is vital that you protect your home adequately. How do you ensure that your home is safe when you’re not at home? What can you do to safeguard your home and your possessions when you travel? Here are some handy tips to maximize your home security when you are not there.
1. The very first thing that you need is a security system, preferably one monitored by ADT Security Services, the leading home security provider in the nation. A professionally monitored security system offers tremendous protection, even when you are away. In fact, with most security companies, you can alert the monitoring center that you will be away for an extended time and they will step up security accordingly. In short, there is no better way to ensure that your home and possessions are safe. Of course, you can do many other things, as well.
2. Newspaper and mail delivery are two other areas in which you should exercise care. If you have daily newspaper delivery, ensure that you have someone pickup the papers as soon as they are delivered. Nothing says “not home” quite so much as a stack of unread newspapers lying in the driveway. You should also arrange to have your mail picked up by a trusted neighbor, friend or relative.
3. The lighting in your home is another area of concern. For instance, when you and your family are at home, you use the lights in your house on a regular basis. A house that has no lights on is a tempting target for thieves and vandals. You can leave certain lights on in your home, but this can be a giveaway if the lights remain unchanged day and night. A better option is to ask a neighbor or friend to come in daily and switch lights on and off on a random basis. You can even invest in an automated system that will mimic the actual light usage of your family while you are away.
4. Window locks are one area that often suffers neglect. While you may have strong door locks, your window locks may be a prime target for a burglar. Before you leave for vacation, make sure that you have strong window locks on all of your ground floor windows and that they are all secure. You should also make sure that there is no way that a burglar can climb to any second story windows; this includes trees, ladders, trellises and other items that can provide thieves with access.
As you can see, there are many things that you can do to help ensure your home is safe while you are away. In addition to having your home monitored by ADT home security professionals, the single most important thing is to make it appear as though the home is occupied. Use your friends, relatives and neighbors to give your home the semblance of normal life within and your home will be much safer.
Tags: ADT, ADT Home Security, ADT Security, Home Security
