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Home Security Tips for Travelers

Practical Home Security Solutions to Prevent Break-ins

Stopping mail delivery, putting a few lights on a timer, and leaving a key with a good neighbor are still wise home protection ideas before leaving on vacation. And while it's important to protect yourself with these basics, today there are also more advanced home security solutions to grant you peace of mind while you're out of town.

Before packing your suitcase, consider these home security tips: a collection of 10 proven classics, followed by new, high-tech approaches that also work.

Your home's lights are your number-one defense: Set inside and outside lights on a timer (buy a device that lets you pick irregular intervals); make sure exterior lights illuminate 100 feet around your home; position motion-sensor lighting at various points around your home's exterior.
Your second best home protection defense is a dependable neighbor: Inform him or her of your travel plans, and make arrangements with him or her to keep an eye out for stray papers and flyers. You also may want to consider asking the neighbor to periodically go into your home to check on it. Some people even have neighbors readjust the curtains or take their car out of the garage for a few hours or days, to create the appearance that someone's home.
If your vacation will be long, set aside time in the days before you go to do some basic lawn maintenance: Trim branches and hedges near windows, cut the grass a little lower than usual, weed the garden. If you'll be away more than a week, hire a lawn service to do these tasks while you're away.
Secure your toolshed—many thieves take advantage of the homeowner's own ladder and tools to break in.
If you live in a snowy climate, make arrangements ahead of time for snow removal. A lack of footprints can be a telltale sign of an empty house, so you may want to ask the same trusted neighbor to come over (to water your indoor plants or adjust curtains) and in the process leave some footprints in the snow in your driveway.
If needed, do some simple furniture rearranging so your computer or a valuable painting can't be seen from the road. (For instance, don't leave a laptop in a ground-floor office space visible from a window.) While you're moving around these items, take a few extra minutes to photograph them for insurance purposes. Take note of the serial numbers, then store the photos in a safe place.
In some neighborhoods, the local police department may be able to increase the number of drive-bys on your street if you inform them of your travel dates.
Beyond telling your close neighbors, friends, and family, don't publicize your vacation plans on your answering machine or Facebook page, or via Twitter. Wait until you get home to let your friends know how much fun you had.
Turn off your phone's ringer. Or consider having your home calls forwarded to your cell phone.
Ensure that your personal and home insurance policies are up-to-date.

Home Protection Goes High-Tech

Some sources report that nearly 25 percent of homeowners in the United States have installed a home security system. And some studies show that having a home security system can cut your risk of being burglarized by 72 percent. Indeed, the security company's prominently displayed yard sign and window decals are deemed a huge deterrent by would-be burglars, according to police data.

Monitored alarm systems start around $300 for the equipment and installation, depending on how many sensors and video cameras you'd like. Monthly monitoring typically runs between $15 and $50. Some of the more advanced systems will have several cameras in place and can also do things like program your lights and your thermostat, and even lock your doors remotely. And many offer clients smartphone apps for remote access ($9 to $25 additional per month) that let users control all of the above, and that send alarm- and motion-triggered video clips via e-mail.

For those without a contract with an alarm company, there are other smartphone apps, such as Control4 (control4.com) or FrontPoint Security (frontpointsecurity.com), that allow you to adjust your home's lighting, security settings, temperatures, and more from wherever you are. FrontPoint's app is free, while Control4 offers various subscription packages (prices vary depending on where you live and the monitoring plan you choose).

You can also go the do-it-yourself home security system route and purchase a stand-alone camera for a few hundred dollars. Or, starting at $300, there are two newer camera systems—Cernium's Archerfish Solo and Vue—that have lots to offer homeowners in the way of peace of mind. Archerfish Solo cameras record video, and the footage can be accessed online. It will alert you if something unexpected happens. The company says the home security system is smart enough to recognize your children. Vue is a pair of wireless cameras that can stream video through laptops and other devices connected to the Internet.

Wondering where to position your camera for optimal home protection? You'll want to walk around your property to get a sense of your most vulnerable spots. But know that the most common burglar entry points are the front and back doors, and the first-floor windows.

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