Summer Safety

Many home break-ins occur in July and August when vacationing families leave their houses empty and vulnerable. Summer travel season has arrived, so before you hit the road, take some simple steps to keep criminals out of your home. No one wants to come home from a relaxing vacation to broken windows and stolen valuables, but in the rush to leave, people often forget to secure their houses. You can rest easy and enjoy your vacation with these smart, simple and affordable ways to keep your home safe.

1. Make your home look lived in

Ask a friendly neighbour to make sure the lawn is mowed and keep an eye out for unusual activity around your house. Suspend newspaper and mail delivery or have someone collect them for you and make sure the garbage cans are put out and brought in on time. The more lived-in your home appears to be, the less inviting it is to thieves.

2. Leave a light on

Put a few lights and a radio on timers set to go on and off at random times during the day and evening. Leaving one light on the entire time you're away is an obvious sign that no one is around to turn it off. Close most of your window shades, but keep a few open on upper floors for light to shine through and make it look like someone is home. Install motion detector lights by each entry to your home, including the garage. Thieves don't want to be in the spotlight.

3. Don't invite a climber

Don't leave toys or ladders around your yard, they can easily be used to stand on or climb up to break into your home. Likewise, prune back any tall trees with branches near upper windows.

4. Lock it up

It sounds obvious, but lock the doors and windows - more than 50 per cent of thieves burglarize homes by walking right in. Use deadbolt locks that can only be opened with a key and forget about hiding the key under a doormat. If you must keep a key nearby, purchase a steel lockbox with a combination that is specifically made to store keys.

5. Sound the alarm

Alarm systems, when used with other precautions, reduce the likelihood of burglary by more than 60 per cent. Consider a system that works wirelessly through a home's broadband connection and is built with multiple system backups for added safety – that means there is no single point of vulnerability such as phone lines that can be cut. Wireless home security systems also allow for monitoring, arming and disarming from anywhere, such as via a website, to let you double check on your home while away. Include around-the-clock professional monitoring.

6. Don't squirrel valuables away

Thieves aren't dumb, they know people like to stash their goods under the bed, between the pages of books and in the sock drawer. Store your valuables in a safe-deposit box at the bank or in a safe you can bolt to the floor.

Taking a few simple precautions before taking off for vacation can provide the peace of mind you need to relax during your time off and come back to home sweet, secure home. For more ideas visit www.ingridhome.com. – Courtesy ARA Content