With the holiday season upon us many of us leave our homes to visit family and friends. Often times this means we leave our houses unattended and susceptible to home invasion. Even if you are blessed to live in a safe area it is always a good idea to take precautions because thieves know they have increased odds of finding homes unattended this time of year. Here are some tips for making your home a little safer.
Tell a good neighbor- If you aren’t blessed to live on a street with my grandmother, who is the neighborhood watch guard, there is probably someone on your street that keeps an eye on things. If someone knows you will be out of town, they are more likely to keep an eye on things for you and pick up on an usual activity at your house.
Rack those leaves- Make sure to keep your lawn maintained while you are away.
Alarm system-Most houses today have an alarm system, even if you can’t afford to get it monitored you can still set it to make a noise if an intruder were to come it. They will have no way of knowing that the police are not on their way. If you do not have an alarm system there are cheap noise only types that you can buy and install in your house as well. Another cost effective idea is to place alarm system signs in your front lawn, no one will ever know you don't really have one.
Virtual world- It is probably not a good idea to tell everyone on Facebook and Twitter that you are leaving for a week to visit your family.
Eliminate the buildup of newspapers- Nothing sets a red flag like newspapers piled up on a driveway.
Lights, Lights, Lights- An automatic timer set to come on every night can make it look like someone is home. Motion activated flood lights are another good tool to help keep your house well lite and more visible to your neighbors or someone passing by to notice something is wrong.
Hope these tips help you to have a restful holiday season!
