Planning Your Next Long Weekend - Important Home Security Measures
Whether it's Labor Day or Memorial Day, a simple three-day weekend in the middle of the summer or a national holiday, getting that one extra day of leisure can make all the difference in the world.
And while three-day weekends are always particularly sweet, there is something truly remarkable about when your free time manages to synch up with the best weather of the year.
Instead of spending the most beautiful sunny day stuck in a cubicle, you have the chance to actually get out there, to spend time with your family, and to break away from the daily grind.
Of course, in the rush and excitement of having some extra free time, sometimes people can get a bit forgetful when taking care of things around the house.
And while it's definitely crucial that you get in the car and beat traffic when getting away for the weekend, it's equally important to remember simple steps that will enhance your home security while you're away.
First, there are the appliances.
You know the drill: coffee maker off before you head out on vacation, iron turned off, unplugged, and stowed away, overloaded power cords turned off so that small electrical fires don't start.
Making sure that you take care of all of the countless gadgets in your home can mean the difference between spending your vacation relaxing, and spending it wondering what you forgot to do.
So save yourself some time before you need to hit the road and make sure that you take care of things properly.
Remember, of course, that your home alarm system is the most important gadget to take care of while you're going away for the weekend.
Be sure that you set it before heading off on the road, and make sure that all doors and windows, including the small ones, are shut securely and also locked.
Your alarm cannot work if there are doors and windows open, so you need to take extra care, especially if you're going to be gone for a few days, to make sure that everything is as it should be.
Of course, there is more to home security when you're going away for the weekend than just remembering to shut your house up securely.
It's also important to not make it obvious that no one is there.
Robbers typically enjoy breaking into homes that are empty, and there is nothing better for a criminal than knowing that homeowners aren't going to be back for a couple of days, meaning they have even more time to plunder as they see fit.
So take care of the obvious signs that you aren't home.
Make sure that lights are on, but not every single one of them.
If you can, install a timer to handle interior and exterior lights, as that is the most natural way of you looking home when you aren't.
While there might not be mail on Sundays, the newspaper certainly does get delivered, and even a single national holiday where there is no mail or newspaper isn't going to distract from the fact that a pile of either on your front stoop is a clear signal you're out of town.
A major home security blooper is people forgetting to put their mail and newspaper delivery on hold.
You can even accomplish this online now, so there's no reason for you to be one of the many who gets robbed because your mail sends a beacon to would-be robbers that you are gone for the weekend.
And while three-day weekends are always particularly sweet, there is something truly remarkable about when your free time manages to synch up with the best weather of the year.
Instead of spending the most beautiful sunny day stuck in a cubicle, you have the chance to actually get out there, to spend time with your family, and to break away from the daily grind.
Of course, in the rush and excitement of having some extra free time, sometimes people can get a bit forgetful when taking care of things around the house.
And while it's definitely crucial that you get in the car and beat traffic when getting away for the weekend, it's equally important to remember simple steps that will enhance your home security while you're away.
First, there are the appliances.
You know the drill: coffee maker off before you head out on vacation, iron turned off, unplugged, and stowed away, overloaded power cords turned off so that small electrical fires don't start.
Making sure that you take care of all of the countless gadgets in your home can mean the difference between spending your vacation relaxing, and spending it wondering what you forgot to do.
So save yourself some time before you need to hit the road and make sure that you take care of things properly.
Remember, of course, that your home alarm system is the most important gadget to take care of while you're going away for the weekend.
Be sure that you set it before heading off on the road, and make sure that all doors and windows, including the small ones, are shut securely and also locked.
Your alarm cannot work if there are doors and windows open, so you need to take extra care, especially if you're going to be gone for a few days, to make sure that everything is as it should be.
Of course, there is more to home security when you're going away for the weekend than just remembering to shut your house up securely.
It's also important to not make it obvious that no one is there.
Robbers typically enjoy breaking into homes that are empty, and there is nothing better for a criminal than knowing that homeowners aren't going to be back for a couple of days, meaning they have even more time to plunder as they see fit.
So take care of the obvious signs that you aren't home.
Make sure that lights are on, but not every single one of them.
If you can, install a timer to handle interior and exterior lights, as that is the most natural way of you looking home when you aren't.
While there might not be mail on Sundays, the newspaper certainly does get delivered, and even a single national holiday where there is no mail or newspaper isn't going to distract from the fact that a pile of either on your front stoop is a clear signal you're out of town.
A major home security blooper is people forgetting to put their mail and newspaper delivery on hold.
You can even accomplish this online now, so there's no reason for you to be one of the many who gets robbed because your mail sends a beacon to would-be robbers that you are gone for the weekend.
