By John Anderson
Getting away for the holidays is both hard work and a rewarding experience. After finalizing on what you should bring and where you should go, look at the security of the house you’ll leave behind. Crime against property is at a high of 400,000 from November through December according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
You probably have a checklist for what to bring, here’s a practical list of what to do to secure your home.
1. Visibility: Leave a good number of lights on, it‘s a double edged advantage. The burglars will think twice whether you’re at home or not. It would be better if you could have a timer attached to the lightswitch. It’s best to keep a good visual from the outside looking in making it easy to spot trouble. So leave a few curtains open.
2. Social Network Updates after the fact: You don’t need to announce to the world that you’ll be going to someplace exquisite for the holidays. For robbers, it just translates to “Nobody’s home and nobody can get home quickly”. Show your pictures when you get home. You’ll enjoy the travel more.
3. Arrange upkeep: Have a friend pick up your mail and water the plants from time to time. An unkempt house is an obvious signal that no one is looking after the house.
4. Unplug: it’s been proven that appliances do consume electricity even if they’re turned off. A power surge may also destroy your appliances.
5. Modern-day Security: The burglars get smarter too. They learn from the latest technology and some actively profile their victims on the web. Equip yourself with a good alarm system and/or have the house insured.
The steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the home especially when there’s nobody home. Enjoying the holidays will only happen if you know that the home you have left behind temporarily remains safe and secure.
Author Bio:
John Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2008. His work is almost exclusively on web content about home improvement, home security, technology, green and simple living, and business. John Anderson, a Southeastern American, specializes in home improvement and occasionally writes about alarm systems. He graduated from Tennessee State University. He’s a blogger and a freelance writer. His Twitter account is @johnanderson090.