Keeping your Home Safe While On Vacation – Oklahoma Security Tips

Summer is on the way, and many Tulsa and Oklahoma City residents are taking (or planning to take) a much-needed vacation. But a vacation spent worrying about the security of your home and business isn’t relaxing get-away.

While having a Tulsa or OKC security system will provide the most comprehensive protection, here are some other simple tips to help keep your home and business safe while you’re away on vacation.

• Put your lights on timers. – Setting your exterior and interior lights to come on for a while during the evening will help give the appearance of a normal schedule. Businesses should always have adequate lighting both inside and outside of their business for people to clearly see any suspicious activity inside. Motion sensor lights can also help to discourage thieves.
• Have your mail and newspapers stopped. – This may be a simple suggestion, but it may also be the easiest to forget when you’re busy packing. A pile of periodicals by your door is one of the simplest ways a criminal can tell that no one’s home. While you can put your mail on hold for 30 days, there may still be other parcels delivered while you’re away. It’s a good idea to have a neighbor or friend pick these up while you’re gone.
• Check the locks and security system before you leave. – In the excitement of planning to leave, it may be easy to forget to lock all the doors and windows – including sliding glass doors. These can be further secured by using poles placed in the slats. Make sure you activate your security and surveillance system when you leave, as well as telling your Tulsa or OKC security company when you’ll be gone.
• Advertise your security system. – Homes and businesses publicizing that they have a security system may prevent thieves from thinking they’re an easy target. Make sure to place warning signs in the front and backyard of your home.
• Employ a house or pet sitter. – Along with having a monitored security system, probably one of the best ways to safeguard your home is to have a neighbor or friend stay there while you’re on vacation. If you have pets, a pet sitter can also check on your home and take any packages inside while caring for your pets.
• Let a trusted neighbor know you’ll be away. – The next best thing to a full-fledged house sitter is a trusted neighbor who can stop by and even pull your garbage and recycling bins out for trash day to keep up the normal routine.
• Regular lawn maintenance. – Especially during summer, the first sign that residents are away for a while is probably an un-mowed lawn. Hiring a professional lawn maintenance company that can keep up the maintenance on your lawn and property will keep your home from looking vacant, and prevent you from having an out-of-control lawn when you return. Have the landscaping company trim the trees and shrubs by your home so as to keep windows visible from the outside. Planting shrubs with thorns or thistles by your windows can also make it much more difficult for thieves to break in.
• Unplug all your electronics. – Unplugging electronics and small appliances like your television, coffee pot, and computer can help prevent a house fire and save you money while you’re away. Turning off your garage door can also help to prevent thieves from breaking in.
• Keep your valuables away from windows. – Make sure valuable electronics like a computer, big screen television, or other items are not plainly visible from outside so as not to invite thieves, or make it easier for them to “smash and grab” these valuables.
• Don’t “share” too much. – While the world is in love with sharing their life on social media, be careful to not share too much – both online and in real life.
  Thieves can also read status updates that tell people when you’re going on vacation, so be as vague as possible if you share any of your plans on the World Wide Web. Sometimes people also casually share their plans with people they meet at the grocery store or other shops who they do not know well. Be careful about sharing any sensitive information with people other than close friends.

These are just a few ways to keep your home safer – both when you’re on vacation and when you’re at home. For OKC and Tulsa area businesses, Mac Systems offers a commercial alarm monitoring service for your fire and security systems to keep your business safe at all times. Have a safe and fun spring vacation!