When you go on vacation, whether for a few days or for months at a time, you want to know your home is protected. At Acadiana Security Plus, our alarm systems and security solutions will allow you travel at your leisure without ever worrying about keeping your home secure.
Our professionals are also here to ensure that every area of your home stays safe and secure, including those outside. Here are some general tips we offer in several important areas for making sure your home is fully protected when you head out of town.
Exterior Considerations
- Mow the lawn, arrange landscaping and tidy any other front-facing areas. An outdoor area that’s unkept will make the house seem unoccupied, which is one of the first things thieves look for when they’re canvassing a neighborhood.
- Don’t leave your car outside – park it in the garage.
- Set up automatic timed lighting, and possibly motion-detecting lights if you wish.
Locks and Keys
- If you have any spare keys, give these to someone you trust. Also inform this person of the “safe” word for your security system in case there’s a reason why they’re in contact with the monitoring center.
- Make sure all locks on windows and doors are in proper working order.
- Put valuables in a fireproof, waterproof safe.
Neighbor Assistance
- If you have a neighbor you trust, you can give your spare keys to them.
- Ask the same trusted neighbor to remove any flyers on your door or pick up your mail for you.
- Ask your neighbor to bring your trash cans out to the curb on trash day, then back in – again, this will help make would-be thieves think you’re still home.
Indoor Areas to Consider
- Arrange kenneling for your pet in advance.
- Get rid of all food that might spoil during your trip.
- Turn off water appliances like the dishwasher and washing machines to avoid flooding issues.
- Turn off all electronic appliances, and unplug to avoid fire risks.
- Lower the thermostat – but never to below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Run the garbage disposal once before you leave so you won’t deal with a swarm of fruit flies when you get back.
- Make sure your smoke detectors and home alarm system are turned on, have working batteries and are formatted properly.
For more on keeping your home safe while you go on vacation, or to learn about any of our security systems and how they can help, contact the pros at Acadiana Security Plus today.