5 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe When You’re Away for the Holidays

It’s difficult to enjoy your holiday vacation when thoughts of potential home catastrophes keep running through your mind. Although you can’t be in two places at once, you can do a few things to ensure that your New Jersey home is safe and secure when you’re not there.

Install a Video Doorbell

Video doorbells make it possible to see who’s at your door no matter where you are in the world. The minute someone rings your doorbell, you’ll receive a notification on your phone or on another digital device. Some systems even offer real-time video feeds, allowing you to view and speak to your visitor. Strangers won’t know if you’re inside your house or on the beach in Turks and Caicos, which just may convince them not to target your home.

Buy a Water Leak and Freeze Detector

Even a small leak can warp and damage floors and cause mold to form on your floors and walls. Your new water leak and freeze detector will send you an alert the second detects water on the floor. If you get an alert, you can ask a neighbor to check on your home or call a repair person. You’ll also be alerted if the temperature drops below a certain level in your home, helping you avoid freezing pipes while you’re away.

Use Smart Locks

Thanks to your new smart locks, you can lock or unlock the doors to your home using a code rather than a key. Do you plan on hiring a pet sitter or asking a neighbor to water your plants? Instead of providing them with a spare key, you can give them a unique code that will unlock an exterior door during a specific time period.

Boost Security with Smart Home Security Cameras

Adding smart home security cameras to your home provides you with crisp, full-color images inside or outside your home. You’ll be able to watch your dog sitter play with your pet or see how much snow fell in Central New Jersey simply by opening your camera app. Smart cameras make it easy to monitor your home yourself, or you can pay a monthly or yearly fee to a service company for added protection.

Cameras can be added to a smart home system that not only controls security but manages every system in your home. The system can control your thermostat, operate doors, detect leaks, open and close smart shades, start or stop your sound system, and turn appliances, lights and gas fireplaces on and off.

Don’t Let Burglars Know That You’re Not at Home

A burglar’s job is much easier if you’re far from home when he or she decides to target your home. If there’s any chance that someone’s home, thieves are less likely to follow through with their plans. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your home look occupied simply by:

Arranging for Snow Removal: An unplowed driveway is a clear sign that no one’s home, particularly if it’s been days since the last snowstorm. If you don’t already have a contract with a snow removal company, arrange for this important service before you leave town.
Using Lights: Use timers or your smart home system to make it appear that you’re following your usual schedule. Be sure to vary the times you turn on or off the lights by a few minutes. A rigid light schedule can tip off burglars that you’re only pretending to be at home.
Making Arrangements for Mail and Packages: A full mailbox and a collection of packages on your porch are obvious signs that you’re away from home. If a family member or neighbor isn’t available to collect your mail, submit a hold request to the S. Postal Service. Both UPS and FedEx can hold your packages or deliver them to another address while you’re on your holiday trip.

Do you plan to spend the next holiday season in a new home? Adding the latest high-tech systems and gadgets during the construction phase of your new house at County Classics at Hillsborough will help protect your investment. Country Classics offers executive homes with four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, formal living and dining rooms, side-entry garages, chef’s kitchens, studies and comfortable family rooms all on large lots. Contact us for information on joining our community.