Whether you take vacations or go on business trips often, your goal should be to enjoy your travel and have peace of mind knowing that everything is safe at home. 

While on vacation, anything can go wrong around your home. A fire might break out, or burglars might break into your home. Whereas it is difficult to avoid some incidents, you can enhance the safety of your home while traveling. Here are the best essential tips. 

Lock your house

Locking all your doors and windows will help to keep off intruders. Cover the windows leading to the garage to prevent people from peeking in. They could notice your car is missing or discover something valuable in the garage.

If you intend to be away for long, disable your smart garage door opener. This will prevent thieves from getting in. Lock your valuables such as jewelry in a safe so people cannot see them. If you have an alarm system, set it every time you leave your home. For your enhanced home security, get in touch with Alamo Smart Home Company. This is the best smart home automation system you can control through an app on your smartphone. You can easily control and monitor your home while traveling using any mobile device. 

Find help from friends or neighbors

Talk to a neighbor or a friend to check on your home when you are away. If you have not installed a remote lighting control system, get someone to put the lights on and off. This could send a signal to burglars that someone is in the house. 

Inform your neighbors of the days you intend to be away so they can keep an eye around your home. You can also inform the law enforcement crew in your locality. Some police departments usually conduct safety checks around the homes and pay extra attention to some homes based on the owner's request. 

Avoid tipping off criminals online

Some people tend to send signals of their whereabouts on social media. You may enjoy doing this, but it may be an opportunity for criminals to break into your home. Ask yourself who is reading your posts on social media. The internet is anonymous and can encourage you to share personal information, including your movements.

Posting detailed vacation plans on social media is risky, especially if the public can see your postings. If you have to send vacation signals, do it after returning. Be careful about your voicemail as well. It is not necessary to inform your callers that you are not at home. 

Have a light switch timer

Having a switch timer could send signals to potential intruders that you are still around. Basic light timers are available at local hardware stores. Set the timer in a way that it will flicker on and off at specific intervals. A timer is better than leaving the lights on throughout the vacation period.

Leaving the light on is a little expensive, and it may look strange to have the lights on throughout the night. Use plugin timers when you are on long vacations. Plugin timers are cost-effective for homeowners and are easy to use. 

Unplug electronic devices

Before you leave, unplug your electronic devices, including your tv, computer, music player, toaster, geyser, etc. Some devices use phantom power when turned off because they are put on standby mode. Besides consuming electricity, a bad storm could blow in while you are away, causing power surges.

Unplugging electronic devices when away increases the life of your valuables. The items will become less susceptible to damage in case of a power surge. In case a fuse goes out or lighting strikes, wear and tear can occur. In worse situations, a power surge can cause electrical fires leading to property loss.