ConstructionDeal.com Update

Here are a few ways to protect your home while you're out of town.

Whether you're away on business or on a family vacation, it's important to give the impression someone is in your house. Anyone can tell you to stop your mail and newspaper delivery, but ConstructionDeal.com has a few tips you might not have considered:

1. It is important to stop mail and newspaper delivery, but stock up on a few lighting timers. Don't just set one timer to turn a light on and off. Buy two or three to turn several lights on. One in the living room, family room/den, and in a bedroom should do it. Set them to go off at different times.

2. Leave a radio on in one or two rooms. Tune to a talk radio station so you have the sound of voices filling your house. It can deter a thief if they hear the sounds of voices talking (but music may not be as effective.)

3. Even if you normally park your cars in a garage, make sure you leave one vehicle in the driveway while you're gone. Opportunistic criminals will avoid a home with lights on and a car in the drive. If you're taking your only car, or cars, then ask a neighbor if they wouldn't mind parking at your house while you're gone.

4. Leave your air conditioning on. Turn it down, so it's not cooling an empty house, but it's obvious no one is home on a hot summer day when the a/c is not running.

5. Even if you normally keep blinds and curtains closed, open things up while you're gone. Your lights and radio noises will help and it won’t seem like the house is closed up because you're out of town.

6. It's not recommended to leave on the exterior lights when you leave. During the day, when most break-ins occur, it’s fairly obvious no one is home when the outside lights are on. Add a photo electric cell, which screws into the socket and the light bulb goes into that, because it will automatically turn on the lights when it gets dark. The light turns off when the sun comes up.

It should go without saying, but make sure all your doors and windows are locked when you leave. If you have an alarm system, arm it before you go. Finally, tell a trusted neighbor to help out and let them know you’ll return the favor. Have them look for package deliveries, mow the lawn if needed, and give them your contact information of where you’ll be.

Taking these precautions will not only make your home safe while you’re gone, it will help you relax knowing you did everything you could.

Labels: Construction Deal, keep home safe, safe while on vacation, security tips