If you have a security system for your home, that is great; but there are still many other ways to protect your home while you are away.
PUT YOUR LADDERS AWAY
Leaving a ladder out provides the perfect opportunity for a burglar to access your 2nd and 3rd floors. Regardless, you should always remember to lock and secure upper floor windows. Just because you put away your ladder doesn’t mean that the burglar won’t bring their own.
2. KEEP POTENTIAL INTRUDERS FROM PEEPING IN
If you have an alarm system, make sure that it can’t be seen from outside. If you have anything valuable make sure it is out of plain sight. A clearly visible laptop or iPad is reason enough for someone to break and enter. Take a walk around your house and peer inside. Can you see anything that could tempt someone?
3. HAVE SECURITY LIGHTS INSTALLED
Lighting up the exterior of your house is essential for preventing a home break-in. Motion sensors are great but they should be add-on to other landscape lighting. Not only does landscape lighting accentuate the beautiful features of your home like columns, bushes/shrubs, and trees, but it also deters would be thieves.
You can install a random vacation light timer from Smarthome which will turn on lights, radios, and tvs at random intervals from 9 to 34 minutes.
4. HIDE YOU VALUABLES
The best thing you can do it buy a fireproof safe for your precious items. Other tactics for hiding jewelry and other valuables include: a carved-out book, coffee grinds, a tampon box, buried outside or in a potted plant, or a cool faux electrical outlet.
5. FIND A BETTER SPOT FOR THAT SPARE KEY
If you keep your spare key underneath the mat or potted plant, chances are that if I can guess, a burglar can too. Use your imagination and find a good spot for that spare key. Oh, and not on the top ledge of the door either.
6. PREVENT LEAKS AND BURST PIPES
Protect your home from plumbing disasters as well! The best way to prevent leaks and burst pipes while away from home is to turn off the main water supply valve and leaving all the faucets open to drain out the remainder of the water. If you have a basement, this valve will usually be located near front of the house. Otherwise check next to your water heater or in the garage. It is possible that your main water valve is located outside underneath a cement box buried in the ground. Check near the curb in the grass. If you have trouble locating your main water supply valve, call your local plumber.
As a preventative for both burst pipes and mold growth in your unoccupied home, leave the heat or air conditioning on. Set or program your thermostat for 7-10 degrees above or below your usual temperature. Why? The greater temperature difference between the air outside and the air inside your home encourages condensation. Excess condensation can cause wet walls, encouraging mold growth and drywall stains. And, should the electricity go off and you have not shut off your water supply, if and when your pipes burst, significant loss will occur. This might be a good time to read your insurance policy to see what is covered and what may end up being your out of pocket expense.