5 Security Tips to Keep your House Safe while Traveling 

A safe house with palm trees.

Home safety is a matter of prime concern when you are traveling. It is vital to take action to safeguard your house when it is left unoccupied, even if it is only for a couple of days. Follow these basic rules home safety experts give to keep your house secure when you are away. 

Safeguard the valuables

Whether it is a weekend getaway or a trip abroad that will last for months, make sure all the precious things in your house like jewelry are stowed away in a secure place like a home vault. If there are other valuables like a rare artifact, keep them safe in the possession of a trustworthy friend or family member when you are away. 

Protect costly electronics

 Most thieves who break into the house do not try to steal your television set or piano. They loot small and costly electronic items like mobile phones, laptops, costly headsets, etc. which are easy for them to carry and hard for the owner to track. Secure all such costly items in a special place, or hide them in your car, lock the wheels, and secure your garage well.

Maintain locks and alarms

Recheck all the locks and alarms in the house to ensure they are working properly. Get the malfunctioning locks repaired, renew the contracts, and take all necessary steps to ensure they are working fine. Do not postpone the task fearing money or lack of time. Having secure door and window locks, motion sensor cameras, and alarms in the garden will help in keeping your home safe enormously. 

Confuse the thugs

The police often state that burglars keep watch on locked houses for at least a couple of days before they try to break in and steal. It is important to make them feel like someone is staying in your place when you are away to confuse them. 

There are plenty of ways to do this. Ask a neighbor or your landlord to check your house every now and then. Let them switch on the television, keep the lights on for a few hours and make it seems like someone is living inside the house. Use advanced lights which can be controlled through mobile remotely. Alternatively set a timer to switch on the lights in your home and sprinklers in the garden automatically at a particular time. 

Most thieves target houses with unkempt gardens. Book a landscaping company to get your lawn trimmed well and keep your plants watered if you are going to stay away for a few months. It will give the appearance that someone is staying in the house and using the garden regularly, confusing the thieves. 

Thieves often target houses with porches filled with unopened letters and unpicked parcels. Talk to your neighbors and have them pick up your parcels regularly till you come back. Arrange for things to be delivered to an alternate address if possible.

Alternatively, you can also look for home exchange services if you are going out for more than six months and let someone use your home for a small rent. They will keep the home safe and enjoy their stay too, reducing your worry enormously. If you are going to let someone new enter your house while you’re away, be it a guest or some kind of a worker, double-check them using Nuwber to ensure they are telling the truth about who they are. 

Don’t make your stay public

 Cyber security experts always warn people not to post their holiday photos on social media until they are back home. It gives a clear clue to l thugs that you are away from your home. Share your travel details only with the necessary people. 

Take proper theft insurance

 Most people get basic home insurance when they buy a property or rental insurance when they move into a landlord’s space. Cross-check whether your scheme covers home theft before planning long travels. If not, get proper theft insurance to stay on the safer side. 

Pay your bills

 Make proper arrangements to pay your electricity bills and other payments online or offline through a friend when you are traveling. Installing advanced alarms and failing to pay the electric bill due to a busy travel schedule may lead to terrible consequences. 

Check for overdue and leave an emergency contact number with the power company if you plan to travel for more than three months. Similarly, arrange for auto-debit or renewals of insurance schemes for cars, home and other valuables. 

Childproof the house

 Child-locking doors and windows from the inside makes it extra hard for thieves to enter the home from the outside. Besides, they have to put in extra effort to open every door and cupboard which might cause noises or trigger the alarms. It is an inexpensive and easy way to booby trap your house when you are traveling. 

Keep your keys and codes secure

Leave a bunch of alternate keys with your parents or trusted friends in case the house needs to be opened for an emergency. There might be floods or other natural calamities occurring when you are traveling. The person with the alternative key will be able to open your house and save things with your permission when you do this. 

Write down the alarm key codes and other passwords securely and have a backup copy of them with you. Change them immediately if you reveal them to others in situations of emergency even when you are traveling. 

Securing your home is easy if you follow the steps mentioned above. Every one of us needs to come back home, no matter how long and far we travel. Taking proper steps to keep our home safe will ensure we travel without any unwanted tension. 

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