Home Security When You are Away

Keeping your home secure when you are away for work or vacation can be one of the most difficult things to do. It is easy enough to look for signs of trouble when you are home, but what about when you are thousands of miles away. Keeping the home secure while you are away is a vital part of any vacation plan.

Enlisting the help of neighbors is a good way to start. If you have a trusted neighbor, ask them to keep an eye on your home. You may want to give the neighbor your cell phone number and ask them to call in case of trouble. In addition, be sure to contact the post office and ask them to suspend mail delivery until you return. Burglars often cruise neighborhoods looking for mailboxes full of unopened mail, figuring that those homeowners are away. If you have the newspaper delivered, be sure to suspend that delivery as well.

One of the most vital parts of any home security planning is the lighting. Lighting is vital, whether you are at home or a thousand miles away. We have all seen those movies where the burglars watch all the lights in a home click on at once, and if you have every light in the house come on at the same time you may as well put up a sign asking criminals to break in to your home.

Fortunately, it is a very simple matter to put the lights on a timer, and to have them go on and off at random times throughout the day and night, just as they would when you are at home. Many of the newer homes even incorporate a “smart home” technology which is controlled by a small computer. The homeowner simply programs the lights to go on and off at different times throughout the day, giving the home the appearance of being lived in.

It is also important to have a TV or radio on when you are away, to give the appearance that the home is occupied. The homeowner can either leave the TV or radio on, with the volume turned up loud enough to be heard by someone approaching the door or window, or use timers to turn the TV and radio on and off at various times throughout the day or night.

If your trip does not require the use of all your cars, it may be a good idea to leave one of the cars in the garage, carport, or driveway as well. Even the most determined burglar may hesitate upon seeing a car in the driveway, as they will have no way of knowing whether or not someone is in the home.

Brooke Sikula is a freelance writer based in Ventura, CA and writes on a wide range of topics from home improvement to credit repair and everything in between. She is a regular contributor to http://www.home-improvement4u.com and http://www.get-home-improvement.com For more information and advice on home security, check out http://www.home-security4u.com