Guest Blogger: Securing your Home Whilst on Vacation

Guest Blogger +1K, Entry #2698, July 30, 2013

Everybody loves going on vacation, but often that longed for break can be totally ruined if, on return, the family home has been vandalized and precious personal items stolen. In order to fully enjoy a holiday and rest content that possessions and property are safe it is an excellent idea to explore home security options.

Securing your home before the trip

Whether it is a case of going away for a long trip or just downtown to run a few errands, home security is vital. A good place to start is to have a chat with an officer from the local police department, who will assess the physical security of the home. It’s no use having a state of the art alarm system in place if a thief has an open invitation to enter the house through a faulty window or an unlocked door. Thieves are often opportunists and if they see a house that hasn’t been secured they will seize their moment. Always ensure that home insurance is up to date and that the family possessions are protected along with the actual property itself. Increasingly, insurance companies are offering lower priced premiums to individuals who have a home alarm monitoring system in place, especially alarm monitoring systems can alert a family to fire and flooding as well as burglaries.

What type of security system will help your home feel safe when away?

Image via: Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

Choose a security system for your lifestyle

Today, an increasing number of home alarm systems can be monitored through a Wi-Fi cell phone. Previously, these systems were enabled through a conventional telephone line and were expensive to install. For anyone who does not have a cell phone, a highly efficient alarm system can still be installed. It is for the individual consumer to assess the level of security they require. Some people use their alarms as a means of detecting intruders through movement sensors; an option that is ideal for anyone concerned about home intrusion when they are asleep within the property. This type of alarm system can also alert the homeowner when the house is unattended.

Choose a security system that fits your fmaily lifestyle

Image via: Matthew Millman

Ensure your system is easily controlled

The FBI reports that two-million families were the victims of break-ins in 2010, a figure that is set to rise. The company supplying the alarm system will monitor the property from their remote response center, so that any attempt to break-in can be dealt with in a timely fashion. Sometimes just the sound of a loud alarm, accompanied by the activation of bright lights will be enough to deter any would-be burglar, but for complete peace of mind it’s important for the homeowner to know that, in their absence, the local police department will attend their property as a result of an alert. 90% of burglars who have been caught have stated that they wouldn’t go near a house that was fitted with an alarm.  This statement alone demonstrates how much more of a deterrent an alarm system is than a house sitter.

Ensure your home is secure before going on vacation

Image via: Matthew Millman

Flexibility and technology

Thanks to a smartphone app, the internet and Wi-Fi the homeowner is in constant control. This ingenious combination of modern technologies enables the family on vacation to monitor their home through use of video surveillance; they can switch the lights on and off to suggest occupation and will be alerted immediately if a movement sensor is triggered. In an increasingly frantic world, peace of mind while on vacation is hard to beat.

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