For your general well-being, you should absolutely take vacations. A rejuvenated outlook on life, continuous productivity, and excellent performance levels at work and home often mean taking time away from all the daily stresses.

Wherever you may be going, once your suitcase is packed and you have meticulously planned your trip to check off some of the famous destination sites like the northern lights in Iceland or to unwind and enjoy the beach resorts and jungles of Bali in Indonesia, you must remember to secure your home while you are away.

The last thing you need while on vacation is to receive a call reporting a break-in or some structural damage from poor home maintenance. If you have planned for a friend to feed your animals and water your plants, that’s great. But as you prepare for your eagerly anticipated getaway, remember to take the proper security measures for your house.

Here are some helpful hints and additional security precautions you may take while your home is unoccupied to give you more peace of mind and enable you to enjoy your much-deserved break fully.

Make your home appear occupied

Although you might be away from your residence, you shouldn’t let everyone know. There are a few straightforward methods to give the impression that someone is at home, such as leaving your drapes and blinds open while you are away, which will deter criminals since closing them gives the idea that no one is home.

In the evening, use a timer to switch on and off the lights. Simple plug-in timers that arrange lights to turn on for a few hours can be purchased to create the illusion that someone is at home during the night.

Mow your front garden if it needs it before you leave. A lawn that has become overgrown is a clear sign that your home is uncared for.

Make Use of a Monitored Security System

This should be your first line of protection when it comes to security solutions, both while you are at home and when you are away. Intelligent security systems are a popular investment choice among homeowners. When you have access to your mobile device, these are very effective.

Monitored home security systems provide additional security if you travel far from home or prefer to leave your phone at home. The security system will be able to detect motion if your doors or windows are breached by putting sensors in your home. This will then set off an alarm, which will notify your alarm company, who will then notify the police and your neighbors, and if there is a breach, this should scare the thief away.

Obtain a sign from a security company

Some house owners worry that displaying signs from their home security system will teach robbers how to cheat the system, so if you have decided to buy and install a security system for your home, you might want to consider buying a sign from a different firm.

You should still select a sign to put up in your yard even if you did not install a security system because doing so might deter any possible criminals. Most auction or sales websites have these signs readily available.

Reduce Social Media activity while on vacation

In the current age of social media, one of your first impulses upon arrival at your vacation spot might be to take photos and post them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Consider the possible impact of a post on the first day of a vacation announcing the beginning of a two-week trip to a far-off location, which makes it plain that your property will be vacant for a considerable amount of time. Someone who knows where you reside could quickly become aware of this and take full advantage of it.

If you want to show off holiday photographs, a safer method is waiting until you’re back home. If you genuinely feel the need to exchange photos and updates frequently while abroad, you might also set up a private group via a messaging app like WhatsApp, exclusive to family and close friends.

Protect your Valuables

Please don’t leave valuables where they can be seen via a window, and keep them hidden from view. Avoid common hiding areas if you want to hide valuables in your house, this is one of the common security mistakes.

If you can’t move your belongings somewhere else while you’re away, your best option is to think about buying a safe. A safe can be used to keep important papers, jewelry, laptops, and other items safe. This will add a degree of security while you are away.

Keep Tools Away

While you’re on vacation, keep any ladders and tools that could be used to break in locked away. Because it will be challenging for thieves to explain why they could have items like a ladder and crowbar bar with them if the police stop them; instead, they will be watching for objects near the property to use.

Unplug Electronics

Turning off appliances that are charging or in standby mode will lower your energy costs and the risk of a fire while you are away. At the wall, unplug everything you can, except for the refrigerator and freezer, unless they are empty. 

Make sure your house insurance covers fire damage before you leave on vacation. Remember that most policies won’t cover your property if it’s vacant for more than 30 days in a row.

Be cautious because you don’t know when a power surge can happen. Ensure the computer, TV, stereo, and other devices are unplugged or adequately protected by a surge protector.

Protect your pipes 

Assure the insulation of pipes in basements, crawlspaces, and other exposed areas. If the weather is freezing, raise the temperature on your thermostat. Get a neighbor or dependable friend to regularly check on the residence and open the faucets to prevent the pipes from freezing.

Water damage may be just as expensive; even a little leak that is ignored for a week or more can result in expensive consequences if it escalates into a flood. Cut off the water supply at your inside stop valve if you will be gone for a while.

Wrapping Up

Finally, don’t forget To Lock Up! Before leaving on vacation, you should lock all of your doors! Nevertheless, it would be best to lock additional openings, such as pet doors or mail slots, to stop robbers from getting in with a tool and opening the doors. While planning vacations, safeguarding your home is an important step that you should not neglect.