Burglars prefer breaking into unoccupied houses rather than an occupied house. Therefore, if you are going on a vacation, avoid things that may scream to the whole world that you are away. Here are some of the things to avoid:
Uncollected Deliveries
There is nothing that screams you are away louder than a pile of uncollected deliveries. This applies to deliveries that you don't have to sign for, that get pinned to front doors, or anything left on your front porch. Examples include newspapers, magazines, and mail. Avoid such blatant announcements of you being away by stopping deliveries for the duration of your vacation.
Unkempt Property
A change in the status of your property may also announce that you are away. Litters in the driveway, overgrown lawn, fallen tree branches and even windblown debris may all signal that nobody is around to keep the place neat. This is especially true if you are normally a neat and tidy person. The solution or this is to let a trusted person take care of the property while you are away. For example, the person can open the gates so that a handyman can clean up the place.
Change of Routine
Most burglars canvas neighborhoods before choosing a home to break into. Therefore, it's highly possible that a thief or two have passed by your house once or twice. In case they do the same thing while you are away, they should not notice any change of routine in your home. For example, if your lights are always on by sundown, and they have remained off for the past few days, what kind of message do you think the burglars are getting? Windows that remains closed at all times or blinds that are never drawn may also send the same message. Invest in automatic timers that can turn your lights on and off at appointed times. Let a trusted neighbor or friend handle the things that cannot be operated automatically.
Social Media Posts
It's not just the things in your home that can announce you are away; even your online posts can convey the same message. Telling all web users that you are enjoying your month-long vacation is a bad idea. Inform your partner and kids to desist from making similar updates on their social media accounts or blogs too. You cannot be sure that your online friends are all upstanding citizens. Moreover, friends of your friends may still see the posts and invade your home.
Hopefully, the tips above will let everybody know that your home is occupied and your house will not be burglarized. However, you cannot be certain that this won't happen, so you need to ensure that your insurance will not lapse while you are away. Make sure you can renew your insurance from your vacation destination, should it expire while you are still on vacation. Contact a company like United Insurance Agency Inc for more info.
Share