Ways to Secure your Home from Burglars

If you travel a lot or have to stay away from home for extended periods of time, you might want to take some steps to ensure your home stays safe and just the way you like it when you return.

Hire a house-sitter

Hiring the services of a house-sitter can be very useful, provided you trust the person. The house-sitter can look after your property, maintain the garden and take care of your pets while you are gone. However, make sure you conduct proper background checks on the person and verify all references provided.

Stop newspaper delivery to your home

The newspaper guy is going to keep delivering even when you are away. If you are gone for long, the unread newspapers will continue to stack up, telling everyone that you are not home and the house is empty. You should call up the newspaper service and put your subscription on hold for the duration you will be away.

Ask a friend or a neighbor to keep an eye on your house

You can also seek a favor from a trusted friend or a neighbor, who will look after the house in your absence. The person may have to check a couple of times a day and make sure the lights are switched on at night and switched off in the morning.

Invest in timers

Investing in timers is a good way to keep burglars at bay. You can program your lights to turn on at certain times of the day and even have your television set turned on for a set duration at night. This will deter burglars, who will think you are home.

Park in the garage

Make it a habit to park your car in the garage and close the door so that people are not able to predict when you are home and when you are not. Serious burglars often scout locations for days and track movements before they make a move.

Unplug all your electronic appliances

If you are going to be away for long, it is best that you unplug (not just switch off) as many appliances as you can. There have been instances of electrical appliances short circuiting and resulting in disaster.

Be careful of who you tell

Posting about your week long vacation on Facebook may not be as great an idea as you think. You are potentially telling a lot of people (strangers too) that you are not going to be home for a week.

Check the locks and keys

Before you leave, make sure all the locks are in working condition and you have all the keys with you.