Many people make plans to travel during the holidays. If you’re taking a holiday vacation, it’s important to focus on home security before your departure. The holiday season is a prime time for thieves to burglarize your home. Use these five tips to keep your newly built LifeStyle home safe and secure while you’re away.

  1. Use a Smart Outlet or Switch
    Burglars look for homes that appear to have nobody inside. If you have holiday lights strung on your trees or home but they’re turned off, this indicates that nobody’s there to turn them on. Use a smart switch like the ones we include at LifeStyle Homes to control your holiday lights display. A smart outlet can turn on the lights at sunset or at a different time each night you’re away from home. It will also turn off the lights at the time you specify or around sunrise. You can control the smart switch with the app on your smartphone from anywhere in the world.
  2. Don’t Forget About Sounds
    Make it sound like someone is home while you’re away for the holidays. The same apps that control your smart outlets and lights can control your home’s smart television. If your television is visible and can be heard from your porch or back door, turn it on while you’re traveling.
  3. Alert a Trusted Neighbor or Your Security Patrol
    Tell a trusted neighbor or your homeowner’s association security patrol about your holiday travel plans. If you have a nosy neighbor, they may be the best one to tell. They already know who belongs in the neighborhood and who does not. This neighbor will know to alert the police if something is awry. Consider telling your home security company, too. Avoid sharing your holiday plans on social media. Posting about your travel plans is like advertising to burglars that you will not be home.
  4. Upgrade Your Locks and Security System
    Add a minimum 3-inch strike plate to your front and back door deadbolt locks. Be sure to lock the door between your home and attached garage. Make sure your home’s security cameras are working. Consider a smart lock. This is a good idea if you have a dog sitter or housekeeper who will need to access your home while you’re away.
  5. Make Your Home Look Occupied
    Put a vacation hold on your mail delivery to prevent an accumulation of mail and holiday packages on your porch. Keep up with your regular landscaping schedule. An unkempt lawn is a clear sign that nobody’s home, so have the landscapers continue to trim and mow during the holidays.

Having a personalized home makes it easier for you to control your home while you’re away. Contact us at LifeStyle Homes, and we’ll help you design your Florida home to meet your needs.