Tips for Protecting Your Home When On Vacation

March has not yet brought the complete thawing out that nearly everyone in the area is looking for, and this could lead some to pack their bags for a warm weather vacation. If you are one of those lucky few who is able to escape for warm weather, you want to make sure that all of the valuables that you leave behind are properly protected. Burglars look for homes where owners are on vacation, because they provide such easy targets. By following the tips below you can help to make your home one that burglars will pass over while on vacation.

Who would not mind trading the cold of Philadelphia for a beach like this right now?

1. Stay Quiet On Social Media
If you have a public profile on social media sites like Twitter or especially Facebook, it is very important to not post your vacation plans online. Burglars can use the times that you are away to easily plan the time that they will burglarize your home. The smart move would be to avoid posting about your plans in advance, then letting friends or family on social media catch up with your vacation activities once you have returned.

2. Talk to Your Neighbors
While you do not want to broadcast on the internet that you will be away on vacation, letting your neighbors know that you will be away is a great way to prevent burglaries from happening. Of course you want to make sure that the neighbor that you are informing of your plans is one that you truly trust. With the neighbors alerted they can call police if there is any suspicious activity at your home while you are gone.

3. Have a Family Member Stop By
If you do not trust your neighbors, or if you live in an area where that is not possible, having a family member stop by the house occasionally while you are away can provide the same effect. Not only should your family member stop by to give the appearance that someone is currently home, but they should attend to things like the mail and snow shoveling to keep up an appearance that the home is occupied.

4. Speaking of mail…
When a family member is unavailable to pick up the mail on a daily basis then make sure that you either go to your post office or visit the United States Postal Office website in order to get your mail held for the time period that you will be away. Mail and newspapers piling up outside of a home is a dead giveaway to burglars that the house is not occupied giving them an easy target.

5. Upgrade Your Home Security
Having stronger home security as a whole can make all of these vacation preparation less important by having your home constantly guarded against the threat of burglary. Having pick proof locks installed are a great way to make sure that no one enters your home unauthorized, but simply engaging all of your normal locks can also have a similar effect. Most burglars are not professional locksmiths, so having a deadbolt installed can be a great way to keep burglars out. To take your home security to the max, have an alarm system installed on your home. If you do not have the budget or drive to have an entire alarm system installed, place a placard from an alarm company on the front of your home to act as a deterrent.

Phila-Locksmith has professional Philadelphia locksmiths who can help upgrade the security of your home, but if you are just looking to provide extra protection for yourself while on vacation, use the free tips available above. After all, making sure that your locks are engaged is the best way to protect yourself from burglar. A lock that is not locked does a homeowner no good!