We have significant proof that during the summer season, your home just needs extra protection. It is by far one of the most vacation-friendly times, with families planning to get a break from scorching heat, and home burglars, robbers, and petty thieves are on the lookout for empty, unprotected spaces.
The months of June, July, and August are popular vacation months, allowing over 68 million Americans to go for a trip. However, according to the III, burglary cases also increased about 10 percent, with the highest crime rates witnessed during the summer season.
If you are also planning to cool down by going on a nearby hike over the weekend or you are just planning to socialize late in the evening, here are the ultimate affordable home security tips for summer to burglarproof your place and expertly protect home while on vacation.
Common Risks When Leaving Home Unattended
As stated earlier, every home is at risk of burglary and property crimes during the summer. If your place is also filled with overflowing mailboxes or an unattended lawn. Chances are, you are inviting a robbery at your place.
Honestly, the home safety tips are not just to protect your home from burglars and thieves. Rather, this guide extends beyond human threats. Unattended homes also pose a risk of internal hazards, such as power surges, which can cause short circuits. A small water leak in a pipe or appliance can quickly lead to massive property loss. Moreover, home security on vacation is not just a summer problem alone. In colder months, failing to maintain proper interior temperatures can also lead to frozen and burst pipes, resulting in catastrophic flooding.
Here are some of the risks of leaving your home while on vacation.
- Burglary and Property Crimes
- Internal Hazards
- Power Surges
- Water Damage
- Frozen and Burst Pipes
Hence, there is a huge need to protect one’s home while on vacation. Partly to ensure your home stays a purposeful haven like always, and partly so that you can finally relax and come back refreshed and stronger.
Best Ways to Protect Home While on Vacation
If you want to protect your house from any kind of problems, the best way is to have a strategy with several layers of home security during vacations. It should include the use of physical security, technology, and even the cooperation of the community, which will allow you to enjoy a stress-free vacation.
- Install a Security System: Although there are different types of home security systems, data suggest that your place is 3x less likely to be robbed if you have a security system installed. There are many benefits of smart home security systems; however, 24/7 monitoring with remote smartphone access is the most useful of all.
- Secure All Entry Points: Before you leave for your much-awaited vacation, double-check that every door and window is locked, including those on the second floor and in the basement. If your area is known for previous acts of theft, we recommend unplugging the power to automatic garage doors and using universal remotes to gain entry.
- Simulate Activity: With the help of high-grade smart home technology, you can use timers on interior and exterior lights to create the illusion that someone is present at home. You can also act it further where lights, televisions, or sound systems turn on at specific intervals.
- Manage Deliveries: An overflowing mailbox or a pile of packages on the porch is a dead giveaway that the house is empty. You can either contact the post office to place a hold on your mail or ask a trusted neighbor to collect it daily.
- Enlist Trusted Help: One of the best home security tips for beginners is having a neighbor watch over your place. Ask them to come by once in a while and park their car in your driveway, roll out your garbage bins on garbage day, and give you a call if they notice anything unusual.
Summer Home Safety Tips for Travelers
Because summers witness a higher vacation rate and put home security under scrutiny, the natural question arises: What are home security tips for travelers in the summer?
- Secure Window AC Units: If you use window air conditioners, you have a push-way entry available for anybody trying to sneak in. To make sure that they are secured, you may put up contact sensors on these windows, which will give you a notification if any disturbance is made.
- Maintain the Outside Area: Do not allow the appearance of your lawn to be one where there is long grass or an overloaded mailbox. Arrange for someone to come and cut your lawn.
- Watch Outside Areas: You may choose to secure sheds, pool gates, and storage units using smart locks and personal access codes for these areas.
Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Protect Home While on Vacation
Individuals who are excited about coming out after spending a lot of time tend to make such mistakes when trying to protect their house. It is one of the crucial factors in ensuring the safety of the home when you are out on holiday.
- Social Media Oversharing: A rising number of home break-in stories are coming up with burglars knowing about an empty home from the homeowner’s social media feed. Limit broadcasting your travel plans or posting live vacation photos. Your memories can be shared after you return to your place.
- Hiding Spare Keys: Everybody, including the burglars, is aware of a key under the mats or in potted plants. Avoid these common hiding spots and invest in smart door locks that use codes.
- Ignoring Appliances: Failing to unplug non-essential electronics leaves them vulnerable to power surges. Additionally, neglecting to turn off the main water supply can lead to uncontained leaks.
Final Checklist to Protect Home While on Vacation
Before you turn your well-deserved moment of break into a lifetime regret of ignorance, we suggest searching for some affordable home security services that include alarm monitoring, smart home systems, or security camera systems. These will provide you with the peace of mind you truly deserve this summer.
Now, before you head out, use this final checklist to ensure your home stays safe and sound while you are enjoying it.
- Lock all doors, windows, and the garage.
- Unplug all small electrical appliances.
- Set automated timers for interior and exterior lighting.
- Pause your couriers and mail services.
- Inform a trusted neighbor and your alarm company of your dates.
- Verify the security systems are functioning.
- Secure patio furniture and outdoor grills from theft.
- Review your homeowners’ insurance policy for theft and water damage coverage.
FAQs
What are home security tips to protect your home while on vacation?
Leave for a vacation after checking that all the entry points are locked properly. Consider installing an alarm monitoring and home security system beforehand and using light timers to stimulate presence. Additionally, you can also keep your lawn maintained and valuables hidden from window view.
How to secure your home while on vacation effectively?
Securing your home on vacation will require you to include a smart security system with cutting-edge technology enabling 24/7 monitoring, video doorbells, and motion-activated sensors.
Who provides the best home security while on vacation?
With Fast Installation, 24/7 Local Monitoring, Easy Cellular Connectivity, and Mobile-First Access. Security Center Florida provides the best affordable home security services.
Are summer home safety tips different from regular security tips?
Home security tips largely remain the same, regardless of the seasons. However, in summer, additional attention must be given to lawn maintenance and securing window air conditioning units, which are common entry points for robbers and thieves.
Can smart home systems help protect homes while on vacation?
Definitely, smart systems allow remote monitoring via your phone, enabling you to answer your door remotely and also receive alerts and alert the officials.