Whether you’re just out for the night or you’re away on a 2-week vacation, you could be leaving your home in a vulnerable position. If an opportunistic thief realizes that the house is empty, they’ll see it as an easy target. So, when you leave your house unoccupied, it’s a good idea to at least create the illusion that someone is home, for the security of your house and belongings.

Here are a few simple ways you can make it look like someone is at home…

Use timers

If your house is in darkness all the time, it’s obvious that no one’s home. Setting lights and music to switch on at certain times of day gives the impression of regular activity in your home. A FakeTV product imitates the flickering lights of a television when someone looks in through blinds or shutters.

Remote activation

The problem with timed lights and noises is that they’re a little too consistent. Most are set to switch on and off at the same times of day. If a burglar is properly casing your joint, then they might notice this. Make the fake activity more spontaneous and believable by activating it remotely at different times of day to indicate different routines.

Through a smart home hub, you can use your smartphone to switch on lights, the radio, the TV, and various other applications. A smart doorbell can also be useful, so you can “answer” the door remotely by talking through a speaker in the doorbell.

Employ your neighbors’ help

There are a lot of giveaways that a house is unoccupied, like mail building up on the front doorstep and the lawn becoming overgrown. Speak to your neighbors before you leave and ask if they will maintain your home while you’re away. This might include bringing the mail in, taking the trash out, shoveling snow, and mowing the lawn. If your drive is empty while you usually park your car there, then have a neighbor park one of their vehicles on your drive while you’re away.

Use blinds for privacy

You don’t want burglars being able to see fully into your home. This will make it easier for them to realize there’s no one home, plus they’ll be able to see all the valuables worth stealing. But, again, having curtains or shutters closed 24/7 can also make it seem like no one is home. Instead, use blinds and angle them so that no one can see in, but they’d still be letting light in for anyone at home.

Of course, these tactics are no replacement for a proper in-home security system, but they can act as an effective deterrent against burglars. To fully protect your home while you’re away, make sure you have a home alarm monitoring system to properly respond to intrusions. Contact Carolina Alarm for our home security services around Greensboro, Winston Salem, and Kernersville.