Home security should not be taken lightly, even though you might feel secure in your neighborhood.
Did you know that the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that home burglary rates are at their highest during the summer?
It's the season for long weekends and getaways – and the last thing you want is a burglar snooping around your empty home while you're out soaking in the sun.
Whether you're planning to get away for the day or take an extended vacation, put these safety tips and some DIY solutions to work to make one of your best investments (your home) less of a target for burglars.
Table of Contents
Upgrade your home's architecture
As your first line of defense, all entrances to your home should be well-protected and upgraded.
Ask your local construction firm to quote a remodeling/reconstruction job on key areas.
You can also save big by commissioning the guy-next-door currently on the lookout for construction jobs.
Focus on the doors, windows, and even fireplace – all areas where burglars may enter your house.
Never publicize your travel plans
Informing your immediate family members and trustworthy neighbors is fine, but posting your travel plans on Facebook and Instagram?
Not a good idea – unless you want everyone to know that your house will be empty during your entire vacation.
Your social media pages might not be as private as you think – why take the risk?
Install the latest tech
There are thousands of home safety devices you can buy on the Internet.
Devices like FakeTV, which can mimic the flickering light of a TV, will make burglars think you're home. Install one where your TV is at, and you are ready to go.
You can also buy fake (or better yet, real) closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) for your home.
Just install above the front and back door entrances, and the bad guys will think twice about breaking in.
Avoid placing extension cords through the window
While string lights are good at illuminating your outdoor area during the summer months, running electrical cords through windows is not a good idea if they prevent you from closing them.
Unlatched windows will send the baddies a good signal to come uninvited.
Think twice when someone's at the front door
Some burglars pose as charity workers looking for solicitation/donation. Please don't open the door: ask for their identification cards, which link them to the charity.
Even then, don't let them in as you might only give them the chance to memorize the arrangements of your house.
Hide your valuables from plain sight
That top-of-the-line gadget you just bought, your favorite piece of jewelry – anything valuable you forget to stash out of sight could pose a problem if sighted by would-be burglars.
Before heading out-of-town or on vacation, do a quick walk-through of the entire house and hide everything of value.
Keep a record of valuables
Take snaps of your valuable stuff, costly items such as TVs and laptops. Keep jewelry in a secure place as well as keeping serial numbers in a safe place.
Should a burglary occur, you'll have a record of what items have been taken and be able to get them back if the police recover the items.
Final thoughts
Traveling can be so exciting – do not let bad events ruin it for you. Secure your home, so you can be confident that even while you're away, your house is in good shape.
________
This is a sponsored story.
This post was written by a guest contributor. Please reference the author's byline in the post above for more information. If you would like to guest post on Go Backpacking, please read our submission guidelines. For information on advertising opportunities, go here.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
James Bergman
Thursday 19th of May 2016
Great suggestions! I especially like the idea of installing closed circuit cameras by the doors and windows. This way, even if the burglar does get in, you will be able to help the police track him down. Other than that, I think your best defense is to get good solid doors and windows. I personally put dowels in my windows to keep them from opening when I'm on vacation.