Best Ways To Protect Your Home When You Go On A Camping Trip

One of the most important parts of preparing for a family camping trip is ensuring that your home is protected from potential burglars. There's nothing like going on a family camping trip and everything going your way, only to pull your 4WD into the driveway and see your front door wide open...

Having your home burgled while on holidays makes you realise just how important your home security is to you. That heart wrenching feeling when you clearly recall locking the door but now it’s ajar. Frantically searching through your sock drawer to see if you if your cash and jewellery is still there. Then the self-loathing starts and you begin kicking yourself for not better protecting your home. Every inch of happiness quickly fades as you spend hours trying to clean up just so you can make a claim to your insurance provider. Hopefully it’s never happened before, but this doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future.

Let's face it, home security is a fundamental aspect of our lives, particularly when we go on family camping trips and your home is vulnerable to intruders. When our home security fails, we keep asking yourself what we should have done differently and how we can avert this costly scenario in the future. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to enhance your home security and this blog will take a closer look at some of the most effective options.

Don't broadcast your holidays online

The majority of trespassers learn of prospective victims from the internet. People publicly broadcasting their holiday plans or posting pictures whilst on holidays is a sure sign they aren’t home. This is one of the biggest blunders that individuals make when going on holidays. It’s essential to keep in mind that the internet is public so save your holiday posts for when you're safely back at home.

Install a home security system

Arguably the best way to protect your home from intruders is to install a home security system. Traditional home security systems typically include door sensors, window sensors, and motion activated lights for outdoor areas which are fantastic at deterring intruders. These days, many security providers make it possible for you to access your security system through a smart phone which provides peace of mind when you’re a long way from home. You might even be able to lower your home insurance premiums, just don’t forget to notify your security provider of your holiday dates.

Purchase a home security sign

If you have a home security system, look at buying a sign from a different company so intruders don't can’t jump online and figure out how to manipulate your system. Some homeowners rightfully worry that this gives intruders too much information and want to eradicate this risk. And even if you don't have a home security system, it’s a clever idea to buy a security sign anyway to ward off burglars. You can buy a wide variety of these security signs from eBay.

Keep eyes on your home

While having a friend house sit when you’re away is the ideal scenario, it isn’t always possible. Instead, ask a reliable friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your house for you. Depending on how long you're camping for, you might want them to collect your mail and mow your lawn so it’s not obvious that your house is vacant. These are the first signs that intruders look for when scoping out a house. Be mindful of your friend or neighbour's time and don’t forget to return the favour when they go on holidays.

Move the hidden key

While your hidden key is important in emergencies, it doesn’t serve a purpose when your whole family is camping together a few hundred kilometres away. Always ensure that you move your hidden key to somewhere safe inside your home. Regardless of its location, most intruders recognise that most houses have a hidden key lying around, so it’s not worth the risk.

Restore old doors and locks

Finally, if you have any old doors or locks around your home, it's a worthwhile investment to restore them with new ones. It's very easy to break a weak lock or kick in an old door. You want to invest in doors that are at least one inch thick and manufactured from metal or hardwood as this will also boost your home's energy efficiency. Along with this, look at adding a deadbolt or an extra strong lock to the main door of your house for additional protection.

Family camping trips are meant to be fun and memorable, and not just because your home was robbed while you were basking in sunshine! Protecting your home efficiently and deterring potential burglars is a high priority and should be included in your camping preparation. In addition to inspecting your tent and air-mattress, have a checklist for your home security as well, such as notifying your home security provider and asking a reliable friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your home for you.

If you're going on a camping trip soon and need some camping gear or equipment, get in touch with the friendly team at TJM Australia. Phone 07 3865 9999 or use their handy store locator to discover which TJM store is closest to you.