5 security tips to protect your home while you’re on holiday

Going on holiday soon? Whether you’re planning a trip abroad or heading off on a staycation, it’s important to protect your home from potential intruders while you’re away.

Home security is a top concern and priority, especially if you’re going away for several days or weeks. According to a new study conducted by 247 Blinds, August was recorded as one of the highest months for spikes in break-in incidents, and with many away from their homes during this time of year, this is a serious worry for homeowners.

While you’re relaxing in the sun and exploring a new country, you don’t want to be worrying about whether someone has broken into your home or not. With this in mind, I spoke to 247 Blinds who have partnered with home security specialists, Simplisafe. Both 247 Blinds and Simplisafe experts have given us 5 tips on how to protect your home and deter break-ins while you relax on your holiday.

1. Lock all doors and windows properly

The first and most important tip to keeping your home secure while you’re away is ensuring all the doors and windows are locked properly. Simplisafe’s UK General Manager, Jonathan Wall says that “making sure all entrances to your home, windows and all, are locked properly before going to bed or leaving the house for any reason, denies thieves any easy opportunities.”

Some holiday-goers might forget to double check the back door or the garden gate, so before you head to the airport, go around the house and make sure every possible entrance is completely locked. If you’re really stressing about the safety of your doors, investing in the best smart lock is a great way to level up your security and allows you keyless entry to your home when you return.

2. Invest in home security gadgets

Similar to installing a smart lock on your doors, investing in home security gadgets helps you secure, protect and monitor your home, and gives you peace of mind while you’re away from the property. The best security cameras capture footage from inside or outside your house, and they detect motion and sound which they’ll communicate with you via an app or email notifications. The presence of a smart camera is good enough to deter potential intruders but you can take this one step further by choosing one that has a built-in spotlight or siren, like the Arlo Pro 4 or the eufy S100 All-in-One Light Cam.

Other than a camera, Wall also recommends installing extra hidden cameras around your property. “Placing outdoor security cameras alongside more covert ones can add more deterrence to your property, with the visible ones acting as a warning while the hidden ones capture footage in the case of your visible ones being targeted for damage.” He also says investing in the best video doorbells can help “act as a visible deterrent to criminals, and they allow you to capture crucial evidence on video after the fact for the police.”

3. Install motorised blinds

The majority of the time, burglars won’t attack a home if someone is inside it. With this in mind, it can be helpful to give the illusion that someone is at home while you’re away on holiday, making it a less attractive target for potential attacks. A great way to do that is by installing the best smart blinds. Products Manager at 247 Blinds, Helen O’Connor comments that “motorised blinds are opened and closed by a small, motorised unit, that turns the bar that the blind is attached to. The motors are extremely efficient and use minimal power to operate. They also look like regular roller blinds, so it’s hard for anyone to tell they are electric and can be set on a timer.” A good alternative to this is to set timers on your best smart bulbs.

4. Set up a Keepsafe at the Post Office

Sometimes, break-ins can’t be helped, even if you’ve taken all the security measures you possibly can. Locking away any gadgets, expensive belongings and prized possessions can help you avoid any important things being stolen, but it’s also worth making sure your post can’t be accessed as well. “It’s a good idea to ask the Post Office to hold any post you may receive during your time away. This is called a Keepsafe and it prevents a possible build-up of letters that burglars can use to indicate you’ve not been home in a while. The last thing you want is a burglar getting their hands on a confidential letter, so a Keepsafe helps keep your post in a safe space for an added layer of security,” explains Wall.

5. Don’t shout about your holiday on social media

Finally, a general rule of thumb is to not shout about your holiday too much and especially not on social media. Is it fun to make people jealous that you’re jetting off for some sun while they have to stay home in the rainy UK? A little bit yes, but you never know who’s looking at your page and who might decide to try their luck at breaking into your home while you’re away.