Protecting Your Home While You Are Away This Summer.

Many of us have been looking forward to when things open up a bit more and we are finally able to take some of those trips and vacations we have been waiting for. We aren’t the only ones looking forward to getting away from home, burglars also look forward to our homes being empty. If you are planning on going away sometime this summer here are a few things to keep in mind before you go:

1. Set interior lights on a timer so that your home doesn’t appear dark all day and night. This makes it clear that no one is home and leaves you house susceptible to thieves.
2. Disconnect all electronic devices in case there is a power surge while you are away.
3. Don’t post pictures or other details about your trip on social media until you are home from your trip. You may think that only your friends and close family can see your posts but that is not always the case. Posting online is like an online advertisement that your home is empty.
4. Make sure to lock up all of your valuables before you leave, or at least put them out of plain sight. Don’t leave anything out that can be easily seen by someone peering in your windows. Consider closing the blinds or curtains in rooms where you have expensive items you can’t put away like TV’s or gaming consoles.
5. Collect any spare keys that you might have hidden outside your home.
6. Lock your garage. Even if your garage doesn’t have a connecting door to your home you should still make sure the door is locked. Thieves could steal from your garage, or even use items from your garage like tools or a ladder to break into your home.
7. Alert your alarm company that you will be out of town for an extended amount of time and make sure that your alarm is set properly when you leave.  Some alarms even allow you to monitor your home remotely.