Planning A Summer Vacation? Keep Your Home Safe In Your Absence

3 (6)[1]The best summer vacations usually require some degree of planning. Don’t forget to plan keeping your residence protected from a home invasion while your family is away. Here are some suggestions from our risk management team here at The Daniel And Henry Co. to safeguard your home from intruders.

Refrain from sharing your travel schedule on social media. One of our most important suggestions is to keep your vacation details to a minimum on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You never know who is listening—even if you do have a private account. We understand the want to share the beautiful beach picture to let your loved ones know that you and your family are enjoying yourselves, but consider using email as an alternative.

Talk to a neighbor. Let someone that has easy access to your home know that you will be away. A full mailbox is a pretty easy giveaway that your house is empty, so ask them to check it often.  Also, a neighbor will be able to recognize any unusual behavior, a car or person that isn’t usually in the area. Don’t know your neighbors well enough to ask? Consider hiring a house sitter instead or perhaps contacting the postal service about stopping mail delivery.

Secure doors and windows. The easiest way to get into your house is by kicking down the front door. Before leaving for vacation, consider installing stronger door locks (deadbolts, for example). Also, don’t forget to secure your sliding glass doors with a metal rod in the track to add another level of security.

Use technology to your benefit. Either leave a light on or install economical light timers to give the illusion that your family is home in the evenings. Turn down the volume on your landline so a prospective burglar can’t hear your phone ringing off the hook. Consider installing a home security system – which could potentially also give your home insurance discounts.

After getting some R&R on your well-deserved vacation, the last thing you want to come home to is a burglarized home. Take extra precautions before you travel to help deter criminal activity near your home. Do you have questions about your homeowner insurance policy? Contact the professionals at The Daniel And Henry Co. for more information.

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