Keeping your home safe while you’re away

Heading out of town? There are a number of steps you can take to keep your home safe while you’re away. While an alarm system can be effective in deterring burglars, there are a number of other simple steps you can take to help make your home less attractive to criminals.

Make a break-in time consuming: Dead-bolt your doors and stick wooden dowels in your windows to slow burglars down.

Keep valuables out of sight: Don’t give would-be crooks a reason to break into your home. Keep cash, jewelry and other valuables out of sight. Consider investing in a safe that is bolted to the floor or wall.

Keep your home well lit: Mount exterior lights out of reach of would-be burglars in your yard or on your house. Put indoor lights on a timer so that they go on and off at appropriate times, making it look as if the house is occupied. Solar and motion-sensitive exterior lights also can help.

Arrange to have mail picked up or held by the post office: Stop newspaper deliveries or have a neighbor pick up your newspaper and mail daily. Have a trusted friend or neighbor stop by periodically to check on your home.

If you’d like to read a bit more, here’s the tip sheet from the Insurance Information Institute.