Sunday, March 1, 2020

Home Security: How to Have Peace of Mind the Next Time You Go on Holiday

Holidays are a time for rest, relaxation, reflection and recuperation. The only feelings you should be experiencing while you’re on holiday are those of pure bliss.

Don’t let your fears of what’s happening at home hinder your enjoyment. Easier said than done, right? Not if you make use of the following tips.

Beef Up Your Home Security

The best way you can secure your home is by literally securing it. Install surveillance cameras, security gates, burglar bars, motion sensors for your home’s interior & its exterior & investigate engaging with an armed response service.

All of the examples of home security listed above are extremely effective at deterring criminals from trying their luck on your home. Of all of these systems, a surveillance camera is one of the best. Surveillance cameras deter criminals, aid police in catching criminals when they do strike and can even get you a better deal on your insurance premiums.

While installing a home security system can be expensive, it is well worth it. This is a feature that will provide benefits to you long after your holiday and can even increase the resale value of your home. If you don’t own your home, chat to your landlord and see if he or she is willing to contribute to the cost of installation.

Hire Someone to Look After Your Home

The easiest way to enjoy your holiday in peace is to hire someone to look after your home while you’re away. The comfort that comes with knowing your home is being taken care of by a professional is invaluable.

A lot of the time, homes are broken into and burglarised because it is clear that nobody is home. House sitters make your home less susceptible to break-ins by physically staying in your home while you’re away and making it evident to all who pass that someone’s home.

Professional house sitters employ various tactics to display the fact that someone is home. They can park vehicles in your driveway, giving the house a “lived in” look. Or they can display items such as newspapers on window sills and leave lights on—which is a known crime deterrent.

Hire Someone to Look After Your Furry Family Member

Leave for your holiday knowing that your pets are in good hands. Besides the obvious duties of a pet sitter that include feeding, walking and cleaning up after your pets, a pet sitter is also a fantastic way to keep your home secure. This is done by alerting would-be criminals to the fact that someone is regularly visiting your home.

Some pet sitters double as house sitters, for additional fees of course, while others just visit your home a minimum of twice per day. If you’re looking for pet sitters Johannesburg has an abundance of them and you’re bound to find the ideal person or agency that ticks all of your boxes.

Reach Out to Those Close to You

As you’ve probably gathered from our tips, home security comes at a price. But this last option is entirely free. In the weeks leading up to your holiday, reach out to those close to you—literally and not-so literally.

Taking a leaf from America’s book, if you have a good relationship with your neighbours let them know you’re going on holiday and ask them if they’d mind keeping an eye on your property. If you REALLY trust them, give them a spare key and ask if they’d be willing to check in on your property throughout the duration of your trip.

If you don’t have the good fortune of having great neighbours whom you like and trust, rather reach out to close friends or family members & ask them to step up. Most of the time, the people closest to you won’t have a problem with making sure everything is in order, free of charge. Or if you know that your niece or nephew is keen on making some extra bucks, ask them to step in as house sitter.

Final Thoughts

Don’t spend your holiday away from home worrying about your home. Rest easy knowing that your home is safe and secure by implementing any (or all!) of the tips we’ve shared with you today.

Some tips, like installing security cameras or hiring professionals to watch your home while you’re away, will cost you. But not applying any of them will cost you far more in the long run.