It is that time of year where some of the lucky ones amongst us are seriously considering jetting off for some much needed winter sun. The UK is particularly dismal during the winter months which leads to many of us jetting off to warmer climates. I personally can certainly understand that! Unfortunately, there are people who like to take advantage of this and this time of year in particular brings with it a lot of crime.
In this article we’re going to run over a few ways to protect your home if you are jetting off this winter but first let’s start with a couple of money saving tips to make sure you’re not wasting money at home whilst you’re out of the country. We’re all about saving money after all!
Money Saving
Nobody likes to waste money, but many of us do – especially when we go on holiday. So here are some things to consider before you jet off.
To start with, you need to make sure your automatic/timed heating system is reset. Many people leave their heating system on the same schedule whilst they’re away which is obviously a big money drain you could probably do without.
Next, you should also consider appliances that are left on standby. Given they’re not in use you probably think they’re not drawing any power, but they do and every bit of power they draw will hit you in the wallet!
Finally, if you have any outdoor lights etc that are on timers, you should probably reconfigure these too. Most systems have a motion activated setting which is a much better option whilst you’re away then leaving them on permanently.
Now, let’s look at some ways to protect your home whilst you’re away :-
Ask the Neigbours!
When it comes to protecting your home, there are really no better people for the job than your neighbours. They know your property, they know the area and they know the comings and goings so will be able to spot if something is amiss. If you’re going away, just have a quick word with them and ask them to keep an eye on your property. Reward them with a nice bottle of something from your travels and they’ll be more than happy to keep an eye on going, regardless of whether you’re travelling or not.
Leave a Spare Key
Leaving a spare house key with your friends or family is another great way to secure your home. Whilst it’s not going to prevent any issues directly if anyone is planning to break in and they see someone home whilst you’re supposed to be away, it’s a huge detterent.
Leave a Light On
Whilst it’s not a great way to save money on your electricity bill having a light on in one of your front facing rooms can also act as a huge deterrent. People will see a light on and automatically think someone is home. If you don’t want to leave the light on permanently there are timers you can buy to control your lightning by turning it on at specific times of day. If this isn’t an option you can buy a plug socket based timer and plug it into a lamp which will do the same job of deterring someone who might be looking for empty houses to break into.
Ask Someone to Park on Your Drive
If you own a car then an empty drive is a huge giveaway that you’re not home. If someone sees an empty drive for several days at a time it’s a dead giveaway that you’re out of town. Having a friend, family or even a neighbour park their car on your drive for a week or two will limit the risk of someone breaking into your home massively. Especially if it’s coupled with one of the above methods.
Criminals will look for the easiest target afterall and if there is any hint of doubbt you can put in their minds it should be enough to put them off.
Store Those Valuables
In the event that someone does break into your home whilst you’re away, you don’t want to make life easy for them. Anything of value should always be stored in a safe. You can pick up home safes relatively cheap or alternatively simply hide the valuables (but make sure you remember where). A would be thief will not have the luxury of time in order to scour the house looking for your valuable possessions. They’re 99% of the time going to take what is in plain sight rather than spending time looking for hidden valuables. If you hide anything of value you will at least limit your potential losses significantly.
Get Covered
No matter how secure your home is, regardless of the measures you take. The worst can happen and it frequently does to many families up and down the UK. In the event of a burglary or even accidental damage you must make sure you have an up to date home insurance policy. Home insurance can cover a range of things from coverage for your actual property to policies covering the contents of the house itself – by that I mean your possessions. You can read more about the various plans and policies available at chill.ie which in the scheme of things I’m sure you’ll find extremely competitive. Having an unwanted party in your home is bad enough but losing possessions you’ve worked hard for, especially if they’re irreplaceblae can really devastating.
Hopefully this article has given you some food for thought. There is probably nothing to worry about and your home will no doubt be perfectly safe whilst you’re travelling. But you can never be too careful with regards to your home and the possessions within it. The above methods are not going to cost a anything to implement and may just save you a pretty penny if implemented should the worst happen.