The thought of traveling can be an adventure for many, but often the concerns of leaving an empty house can be uncomfortable. Drawing from research, there are a few strategies and steps you can take to help you ensure the security of your home, giving you peace of mind to enjoy your travels.
Smart technology
Nowadays, the choices for home security are plentiful, and you don’t need to break your bank to invest in them. It is advisable to upgrade things like your locks and alarms. Some options can be controlled remotely, which allows you to control the security of your home from anywhere.
Smart lighting
Another thing to invest in is your residence’s lighting system. The technology surrounding this enables you to control the lighting of your home, and things like sensor lights can be beneficial. These can also be controlled remotely.
Tell your neighbors
Letting your neighbors, friends, or family know that you will be traveling and for how long can help give you peace of mind. They could check on your house now and then and give you an update. Perhaps they can help with watering your plants for you and collecting your mail, and you can do the same for them when the time comes.
Share your contact details
Make sure to share your reachable contact details with others you trust, such as your neighbors, friends, or family. You can share a few emergency contact details with them in case they need to reach out.
Give the impression you’re still around
Making your house look lived in can help. If your mailbox is overflowing, it could indicate you haven’t been home for a while, so ask your neighbors to collect your mail for you. Make sure you maintain your lawn before you leave. As mentioned in this UpgradedPoints website, you can also turn on devices with alarms like radios and clocks so they go off at certain times during the day to give the impression you are inside.
Disconnect appliances and turn off the water
Make sure you disconnect all electrical appliances throughout the house and unplug things such as your computers, coffee maker, and toaster. This could avoid any electrical mishaps and also save you energy while you are away. Also, make sure to turn off your main water valve.
Smoke detectors
While you are traveling, make sure to check that your alarms are working properly and let the local authorities know about your absence in case of any alerts.
Be cautious online
Exercising caution when on social media is also key when traveling. Make sure you or your children don’t post any real-time updates to let the world know you won’t be around. The better idea is to wait until you are back home to share images and videos of your adventures.
Wi-Fi connection
Making sure your home wi-fi connection is protected with a password is advisable. It can drastically protect it from being hacked by others gaining access to your smart home devices. A few suggestions on how to check your router settings can be found on the USA Today Tech website.
Your ‘out of office’ message
Letting your colleagues know you are on leave is perfectly fine; however, it is a good idea to delay updating your email to an ‘out of office’ until the day before your travels are over. The last thing you want to do is announce your absence.