Home Security While On Vacation

There’s nothing like a good vacation to restore our souls and reduce stress.  However, constantly worrying about your empty home and its security and safety is a good way to ruin a vacation.  Even worse is to return home to find out disaster has struck.  We tackled a few simple steps in our blog post Your Pre-Vacation, Home Preparation Checklist and are now expanding further to help eliminate your worries and ensure your home will be happily awaiting your return.

Most of the home security while on vacation tips listed follow one simple theme; Giving the illusion of someone being home.

Keep outdoor appearances

Most visual cues that will stand out to a potential intruder are on the outside of your house.  Most people take the basic step of having a neighbor pick up their mail.  This can also be done by notifying the post office and newspaper delivery person.  They will hold your deliveries while you are gone.

If you have a second car, or are leaving your car at home, consider keeping it in the driveway instead of the garage.  Alternatively, you can ask a friend, family member or neighbor to park in your driveway.

Keep up with the chores

Pay someone to maintain your property while you are gone.  Even a short vacation from chores can stand out depending on the season.  Leaves should be raked and lawns mowed.  If you are planning on having any major landscaping done, plan it for the time when you are away.  Arrange to have a snow removal service come out to shovel your driveway and sidewalks in the case of a snow fall.  An undisturbed blanket of snow on your driveway is a sure sign that nobody is home and an uncleared sidewalk is a legal liability.  Ask the service to walk to and from the doors to leave an obvious trail in the snow.

Ensure security hardware is up to date

The elements and time can wear down vital home security hardware such as locks, doors and windows. Read our guide Your Home Security Hardware Replacement Schedule to prevent break ins.

Keep the spare keys

If you are in the habit of leaving a spare key outside (which is always a bad idea) remove it.  Burglars will surely check under the mat, around the frame and in the planter and that fake rock isn’t fooling anybody.  Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor or relative that lives close by.

Secure your valuables

Put everything that will fit in a safe.  Stash other valuables in hard to reach places, your attic or basement.  Thieves won’t stick around long enough to sniff them out.

Unplug all electrical devices

Not only will this keep them safe from a power surge or a short that can start a fire, but most modern electronics continue to use power even when turned off.

Leave some heat

During cold weather don’t turn your heat off completely, leave it on a low setting.  Pipes can freeze quickly and burst.  If someone is house sitting or stopping by, make sure they know where the main power and water shut offs are.

Inform the police and local authorities that you will be away

Unless they are overworked they may increase patrols and drive-bys to keep an eye out on your house.  Remember to supply them with the name of anyone who may stop by to check on the house or house sit.

Don’t announce your trip on social media

We don’t always know who is watching our pages.  Make this clear to children who are more likely to post that the family is going away.

Have a Kuna at every door

Kuna is your outdoor security system that allow you to monitor your home remotely. You can open the smartphone Kuna app and see what is happening at your door without having to call someone to check on things. Inner peace and a sense of security are seconds away!

Set your Kuna lighting schedule

An outdoor light that stays on or off all day and night is a dead give-away that nobody is home. Kuna lets you set the lights to turn on and off on schedule. Better yet, enter your location on the Kuna Smart Outdoor Light Application so Kuna can turn your lights on and off based on your geolocation sunrise and sunset schedule.

Happy trip everybody!