Our remote alarm went off, we were taken aback. We were sitting some 10,000 miles away from our home, soaking the incessant sun of Vienna.
We immediately contacted our neighbor, she went in, checked. Everything was fine.
The joys of summer include spending time with your family and friends at the lake enjoying sports and other activities or in the mountains relaxing and enjoying the view. If you’ve invested time and money into a vacation home for everyone to enjoy, your family’s safety is a huge priority. This means not only when you’re there, but also when you’re away as well. Here are a few ways to keep your summer vacation home safe when you can’t be there.
Alarm Monitoring
A big concern is intruders on your property who are looking to vandalize or steal items from your home. Once personal items are stolen or destroyed, you may never get them back. That’s why taking preventative measures now is important. One of the best things you can do to keep your home secure is to have an advanced alarm and security system installed. This allows you to pick up any disturbance within the vicinity of your property.
Driveway sensors can tell you when a vehicle drives through. Security lights that turn on when someone or something walks by are also a good notification tool to remind you of who might be creeping around your home and outbuildings. When a solid alarm monitoring system is in place and connected with a security company, you will be notified immediately if someone is trying to enter your property. From there, you can decide if you want to pursue or investigate anything further. Having a camera system in place that is connected to DVR so you can see what’s happening in real-time is also recommended.
Smart Hub Technology
When you’re miles away from your vacation home, it can be a real stressor wondering if the appliances are shut off, the electrical panel has short- circuited or a myriad of other problems have occurred. Having a smart hub system installed and connected with your security system is a great way to stay in tune with what’s going on when you’re not there. The smart hub will connect your electrical services, appliances and security together so you can control everything from turning on lights to turning down the heat from a remote location. You can also be notified of flood, carbon monoxide and temperature changes within minutes. This can prevent a widespread disaster from occurring.
Home Improvement Upgrades
If someone is sneaking around your property and considering breaking in, they will look for the weakest spot to do so. This could be through an old unlocked window or a lightweight door with no deadbolt. Making sure you tighten up entrances with upgrades is vital to keeping your family safe and secure when they’re there and when they’re not. Installing steel, reinforced doors along with deadbolts makes it harder for someone to break in. Make sure windows lock tightly and there are no gaps or weak areas in the jamb. Don’t forget about your garage door. Choose a door that can be pried open. A well-insulated door with added security features will allow you to feel safe from intruders gaining entry into your garage.
Enhancing Your Landscape
You may not think of it immediately, but your property landscape has a lot to do with how easily someone can gain access to your property. On one hand, having trees and tall bushes around the perimeter of your home can make it harder for an intruder to be enticed by your home. But on the other hand, bushes and shrubs can make good hiding spots as well. They can use these to hide and scope out the premium time to break in. If your budget allows, install a security fence around the perimeter of your property or at least your driveway. This will thwart intruders and make it harder for them to drive up and steal from you. A security gate that requires coded entry can also keep a potential intruder and unwanted guest at bay. Landscaping plays an important role in both blocking quick access to your home and making it more difficult for someone to just walk right up to your back door.
Utilizing multiple methods of security is the best way to protect your home while you’re away. They can help you rest easier when you’re not there and enjoy it more when you are.