Summer Vacation Tips: How to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Away

As residents of the Sunshine State, we certainly understand the importance of getting out of the house and enjoying the wonderful world around us. Summer is an especially wonderful time to get out of the house and enjoy time with friends and family, both locally and while on vacation.

Whether you’re planning to spend the day at Jacksonville or Atlantic Beach, hopping on a plane and heading for the Bahamas, or taking your family on a classic American road trip, there’s no better time than the summer to get out of the house. The kids are out of school, and the weather is fantastic. What could go wrong?

Well, unfortunately, there is one problem you could face. During the summer, because thieves know families will be away from home for extended periods, many homes are burglarized. This begs the question, “How can you enjoy your summer vacation if you’re worried about your home being burglarized?”

Fortunately, there is an answer to this question and a way for you to keep your home safe and your mind at ease while you’re on vacation.

6 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re On Summer Vacation

Safewise, a national crime information website, has some disturbing statistics regarding summertime home burglaries. According to Safewise, burglaries happen more frequently during the summer, with most burglaries occurring during the daytime from noon to 4 pm. For those reasons, as well as many others, homeowners must be extra diligent when working to keep their homes safe in the summer. The following are six ways to help you keep your home safe while you’re on summer vacation:

1. Locks – While you should always make sure the locks on your home’s doors and windows are in top condition, prior to summer vacation is a great time to do it. Check for any broken locks and weaknesses that any of your locks might have. Make sure all your locks are repaired and working properly before you leave town. And of course, lock up before you leave for your vacation.
2. Security System – Installing a home security system is a terrific way to protect your house while you’re away. Be sure to install a system with cameras, especially a doorbell camera and outdoor cameras. Many security systems now include apps that allow users to remotely access their home’s security cameras on their phone or computer, which could enable you to keep an eye on your home while on your vacation.
3. Light Schedule – This can involve simply leaving a few lights on around your house while you’re on your trip. However, there are better options available. You can install timers on your lights so that they will turn on and off at various times, which can make it look like you’re still at home even when you’re away. You can also accomplish this with a smart home app. A smart home app can enable you to set a timer to turn your home’s lights on and off, or you can turn them off remotely using the app on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
4. Neighbors, Family, and Friends – Even with the locks, security system, and light schedule squared away, you still may have the issue of mail, newspapers, and packages piling up outside your home while you’re on vacation. In some cases, you can have the post office hold your mail and contact your newspaper delivery service and have them put a hold on your deliveries. However, another option is to have a family member, close friend, or neighbor come by your home while you’re away. They can collect or bring in any mail, newspapers, and packages, and they can check on things to make sure nothing has happened since you left town.
5. House Sitter – This option is like having someone come by to check on your home, except instead they just stay at your house while you’re away. It’s a great way to signal to burglars to stay away from your house while you’re on vacation, because your home is clearly still occupied.
6. Social Media – Avoiding posting on social media while you’re on your vacation is a particularly crucial step. Thieves can stalk people’s social media pages for signs that they’re out of town, so that they can confirm they have an opening to burglarize their homes. If you’re posting pictures of your vacation in real time, it can be a signal to criminals that your home is unoccupied and a prime burglary target. This doesn’t mean you can’t post about your trip on social media. Just make sure to wait to do it until after you have returned home from your vacation.

Few things can ruin your summer vacation like coming home from your trip to find that your house has been burglarized. While taking the steps above cannot guarantee that your home won’t be the target of a burglar, it can greatly improve the chances that your home remains safe and secure while you and your family are away enjoying your vacation.

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