Pre-Vacation Security Tips

Whether you’re preparing for your last trip of the summer—or your first—take a break from packing to ensure your home security before you leave. Thanks to smart technology, you can still be connected to your residence, even if you’re miles away. However, we know how easy it is to get overwhelmed right before you leave, so here’s our list of suggestions to keep your home safe while you’re on vacation.

1. Consider professional monitoring.

Many of today’s security features offer you the option to self-monitor. With affordable security cameras, video doorbells, and more, you can watch what’s happening from anywhere in the world. The only problem with that is sometimes you actually want to unplug. If you’ve constantly got your phone in hand, worrying about what’s going on at home, how much fun are you going to have on vacation? Plus, you’re assuming you’re going to have internet access and cell phone service from every location you visit. Especially when you’re traveling to more remote places, you may not be able to stay connected. So, ask us about our professional monitoring services. Even if you decide just to use them temporarily, they can give you the peace of mind needed to actually relax and enjoy your trip!

2. Install a smart lock.

Now, we’ve talked about this security option previously, but if you’ve been sitting on the fence, now’s a good time to jump into installation. With smart locks, you can unlock your home remotely if you know someone’s coming by to check on things at a certain time. Or, if there’s an emergency situation, you can grant your neighbor(s) access with a temporary code. This has a couple of advantages to a spare key in that you don’t have to remember to leave it behind! Or have some made and then collect them again when you get back. Instead, you can give visitors a code with an expiration date of your choosing. Set it for the exact time that you’ll be gone and rest easy with the knowledge that no one’s getting in or out without your knowledge. After all, most systems track exactly who’s entering (with what code) and when. So, if there’s any unusual activity, you can be alerted instantly.

3. Double check your current security features.

Of all the recommendations we make today, this is probably the most important. Having this technology in place is great! But, there’s only so much you can do while on vacation if your security camera comes unplugged. Or the bulb blows in your security light(s). So, be proactive! Ensure any and all batteries are charged/replaced and ready to go! Make sure your smart technology is connected to a reliable power source and unplug any other nonessential electronics to cut down on energy usage while you’re away. Don’t forget to test them, too! Particularly if you just installed a new feature, you’ll want to do a test run or two, so we can help you troubleshoot while you’re still home.

Otherwise, have a great time! Taking a well-deserved break is what summer’s all about, at the end of the day. So, set up all your security features (and add a few that may be missing) before you leave, so you can truly relax. With ARM Security Systems on your side, you can trust that your home’s being well cared for in your absence—even if it’s only for a couple of days. If you have any questions/concerns before your vacation, please don’t hesitate to contact us!