By: Richard Armen
Submitted: 2010-05-12 13:05:11 | Word Count: 572
If you own a vacation home, then you certainly realize that your second home will be left unoccupied for large portions of the year. With no one around for months, how can you ensure that no one will break in? With horror stories of vacationers arriving at the start of what they hope will be a relaxing week off, only to realize that the front door is wide open and everything inside is gone, it s becoming more and more important to consider your vacation home s security.
Criminals love to prey on homes that they know will be unoccupied for a long period of time. During the off season, burglars know that you probably won t return for months, giving them plenty of time to steal whatever they want without a fear of getting caught. Plus, many vacation homes are located in relatively isolated areas, or near other seasonally occupied properties, meaning that there aren t even any neighbors around to stop them.
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One of the biggest issues faced by those who have a vacation home is how to protect it when you re not there to enjoy it. This is especially true if you have a vacation home that is fully furnished and well equipped with electronics and outdoor toys such as boats or ATVs. Because many homeowners don t spend months at a time living in their vacation homes, they don t put a lot of thought into the necessary security precautions. The good news is that there are several easy ways to make your vacation residence unappealing to criminals.
1) Install security cameras and alarms. Install cameras or dummy cameras, along with door and window alarms, to scare away potential criminals. Some wireless surveillance cameras can even be watched over the internet, allowing you to keep an eye on your vacation spot when you re away. Be sure to post signs in prominent places on your property, such as near the front and back doors, warning potential criminals that your vacation home is protected by such systems. These visible deterrents can be a very effective measure for keeping your home safe while you re away, whether it is your primary residence or a vacation home.
2) Set timers for lights and sounds. To give the impression that there are people in the home, you can set your lights and TV on occasional timers so that they will turn on and off throughout the day. Also consider having one of the neighbors park in your driveway occasionally. Again, the goal is to make it appear that someone is always home, because criminals love to prey on unoccupied homes.
3) Ask neighbors to keep an eye on the home. If you do have year round neighbors around your vacation home, have them keep an eye on people coming and going. You may even want to let them know when you will be staying in the home, so that they can alert the police if they see people lurking around the home when you re not there.
4) Secure all valuables. During the off season, do you leave your ATVs sitting in the carport of your vacation home, or your boat tethered to the shore? Are the curtains open, giving potential thieves a good look at your great TV and anything else you keep in your vacation home year round? Always make sure that such items are stored securely and protected with heavy duty locks.
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