5 top most tips for travelling abroad calmly.
When you go on a vacation, you want to enjoy every moment. Of course, you wouldn’t have fun if you’re always worrying about the house you left unattended. If you have plenty of time to prepare for your trip, why not take this opportunity to improve your home security? Most of us do not want to expect something bad to happen, but it is always best to be safe than be sorry in the end. Here are some essential tips we’ve prepared to help you secure your home while you travel abroad.
Make it Seem as if Someone’s Still Home
When you make it seem as you haven’t left your house at all, your home won’t become a prey for thieves. Signs of activity in your home make it less likely for intruders to target your house. So, plan everything before you leave and make it seem like you are not travelling abroad.
When there are no lights in your house at night, thieves take it as a sign that your home is empty and unattended. On the other hand, you would not want to leave the lights for the entire duration of your vacation. It is a good thing that you can find a wide array of timers online. Simply plug the timer into an outlet and the device will control the lights or other electronic appliances. You can program it to turn the lights on or off at specific times throughout the day.
Many people think that these timers can only be used on lamps. However, you can also use this device on your TV. If you can have a good amount of noise around your house, you can make people believe that you’re still home even while you’re travelling abroad.
When you select a timer, remember to choose one that allows random intervals. You would want to avoid creating a pattern of lights switching on and off during specific times of the day. If someone is specifically looking for unattended houses, they will definitely notice the pattern. Your best option is getting a timer which can be controlled through an app on your smartphone. In this way, you can have full control over when you want to switch the lights on and off.
Ask Someone Reliable to Watch your Home
One of the ideal ways to secure your house is by asking someone reliable—like a friend or relative—to attend to your home. If you have confidence in your relationship with them, you can hand them the keys and politely ask them if they can live in your house while you are travelling abroad. If your friends or relatives are not available, then this would be the perfect time to test if you have friends around your neighbourhood.
This is why it always pays to be a kind and friendly neighbour. If you regularly chat with your neighbours and give them a helping hand when the need arises, they are more likely to return the favour. You can let them know that you will be travelling abroad and that you would greatly appreciate if they can watch over your house while you are away.
On the other hand, you should know your limitations and avoid going overboard. Do not ask your neighbour to some chores for you. Just stick to simple tasks that would keep the house from looking unattended. For example, if there are packages lying on the porch or front step, you can ask your neighbour to pick them up and keep them while you’re away. When you are away, your friends around the neighbourhood will be the first line of defence for your home. Just remember to return the favour when they go on a vacation.
Install Security Screens or Security Doors
While planning your travel abroad, take this time to improve the security of your home. Look for a qualified tradesman who can install security screens on your windows or doors. So, when thieves attempt to break into your home, they would just fail because your home is tightly secured.
There are several companies that offer garage doors, security doors and security screens that meet and even exceed Australian Standards for quality and strength. The aforementioned passed knife impact, anti-jemmy and fire resistance tests. Just remember to choose a supplier that is qualified and certified to install quality security doors, roller shutters and doors, among others.
Don’t Forget to Lock Everything
Of course, this is the most important thing you should do in order to secure your home. This might be a given tip but you would be surprised to discover that a lot of people tend to forget to lock everything. We always remember to lock our main doors. However, there are times that we forget to lock the windows and the garage door. So, before you travel abroad, remember to go through all the windows and doors of your house.
In this case, it would be better to have an automatic garage door. It automatically closes and locks when you come in and leave, so you do not have to worry about it. The other option is getting an automated lock system which you can control through an app on your smartphone. In this way, you can lock all windows and doors with one click of a button.
Consider Security Systems with Remote Monitoring
Alarm systems are quite reliable in protecting your home from burglaries and other emergencies. While you travel abroad, you can rest easy knowing that your house is secure. You can install add-ons like motion detectors and glass break sensors around the house.
The great thing about this technology is that its surveillance cameras can be connected to the Internet. You can use your laptop or smartphone to remotely access these cameras and watch your house any time of the day. So, even while you on a different continent, you can still monitor your home.
If your budget permits, customise the alarm system to protect your home from other threats aside from burglaries. For example, you can install smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Connect your security system to a third-party monitoring system so they can alert the authorities in case of an emergency. Having this feature gives you the security that someone will promptly provide help even while you are away.
Just because you are away on a business trip or vacation, it does not mean that you cannot secure your home. Follow one or two of our tips for a more pleasurable and worry-free trip abroad. Remember that it is always better to be prepared than to be regretful in the end.
Author BIO
Bianca Bicheno is a writer and online marketing specialist. Bianca also writes articles for different websites during his spare time for extra income. She also worked as an online video editor before she started her writing career.