Summer has arrived and that means everyone is leaving their home and heading out on vacations. Vacationing time leaves homes empty and a prime target for burglars. When you leave for a long vacation consider these five ways to keep your home safe.

1. Get a home monitoring system

Home security is necessary when going on vacation and one tool is a home monitoring system. There are dozens of different systems that are available, but make sure to find the right one that fits your needs, home and budget. There are some security systems that allow you to monitor your home through a mobile app.

2. Stay on top of regular home maintenance

Depending on where you live, you could have regular home maintenance scheduled. Whether it's weekly lawn care or landscaping, it's important to keep these schedules. The maintenance crew can serve as a second pair of eyes when you are away. If a thief is watching your home, they'll be able to tell if something is suspicious.

3. Leave a key with a friend or family member

While the post office and newspaper company can put a hold on your mail and newspaper subscription, you can't predict when someone will leave one of those pesky flyers at your door. When you leave a key with a friend or family member, they can take care of any emergencies that might arise while you are on vacation.

When you leave a key for someone, make sure you drop it off with them and don't use a hide-a-key. Thieves always look for a hide-a-key right away and usually end up finding it.

4. Stay quiet on social media

It's common knowledge you shouldn't advertise when you take vacations online before you take off for your trip. It's also important to make sure your address is not posted online and available for anyone to see.

Consider deleting any old posts and party invites that could reveal your contact information, as it is too easy for potential thieves to connect a phone number to an address, thanks to Google.

5. Install an outdoor sensor light

Outdoor sensor lights are easy to install and are affordable. You can buy them at any hardware store as well as Amazon.

Amazon currently sells them for less than $20. Motion-sensor lights can prove to be beneficial year-round for home security, no matter if you're home or not. These sensor lights are often equipped with the technology to have them turn off and on at certain times throughout the day. It's also a good idea to set up timers for your indoor lighting. This allows you to give potential thieves the impression that someone is home every night.
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