Home Security While On Vacation

Nothing is more stressful, disappointing, or downright sickening than returning home from a hard earned vacation – only to find that your home had been robbed.  Burglary is a common thing these days, with burglary around the home occurring quite frequently.  When you go on a vacation, you shouldn’t have to worry about the condition of your home and your things.  Your vacation should be relaxing, without having to worry about anything.  If you plan ahead before you go on your vacation – you can help to minimize the risks of anything going wrong.

One way to fend off burglars is by hiring a house sitter.  A house sitter is one of the best ways to get rid of any type of trouble as well.  All you need to do is find someone who will swing by your house a few times a day, check on things, and turn the lights on at night.  If you have animals at your house, you may want to hire a house sitter to care for your animals as well as your home.  In most cases, peace of mind is worth any price.  If you decide to hire a house sitter, you should always make sure that you choose someone reliable who you can trust while you are away.

In the event that you are unable to get a house sitter, you should strive to make it appear as if someone is living in your home.  To be on the safe side, you can have a neighbor whom you trust keep an eye on your home.  Whoever you choose to watch your property should have a number to contact you with in case something goes wrong.

You can buy various timers and such that will make it appear as if people are in your home.  Radio timers and light timers can go a long way in making criminals believe someone is at your house.  You’ll also want to consider your lawn before you leave as well.  If the grass is too high, people will wonder if anyone is home.  You should always cut it before you leave, and have someone else cut it for you if you are going to be gone for more than a week.

You’ll also want someone to pick up your mail as well.  If the mail starts to pile up in your box, criminals will know that you aren’t home.  Even though you may not be on vacation for long, you should always make sure that your door is locked and that you leave the spare key with someone whom you trust who can keep an eye on things for you.

When that individual comes by your home to check on things, they should be sure to turn the lights and television on in the evening.  You should also make sure that your trusted person knows to check on the interior of your home, and look for anything out of the ordinary.  If something is wrong, that person shouldn’t hesitate to contact the police.  A broken widow, door, or furniture out of place is the first sign that something is wrong. 

Vacations are something we all need to take.  Vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, with no worries about anything else.  If you take the necessary steps before you leave, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Whether it’s a friend or family member stopping by to check on things or a house sitter that you’ve hired – peace of mind goes a long way in helping you make the most of your very important vacation.

The Online And Residential Surveillance

In the past, many have often wondered how they can keep check on things at home while they were on a trip or vacation – hundreds of thousands of miles away.  These days however, keeping tabs on your home while you’re away is quite possible.  With the Internet and today’s technology – you can keep watch on your home no matter how far away you may be.

Although the technology may sound a bit out there at first, this day and age it certainly isn’t out of reach.  The hardware used for surveillance is inexpensive these days, and ready to use all over the world.  All it takes is someone with a bit of common sense and the curiosity to try new and exciting technology.

To use these types of equipment, you’ll need a reliable connection the Internet.  The Internet is the heart and soul of distance surveillance equipment, enabling you to keep a check on your home from hundreds of thousands of miles away.  If you are planning to invest in an Internet powered surveillance system, you should first make sure that you can get a high speed Internet connection to your home.  Dial-up isn’t recommended, as the speeds are far to slow to broadcast video.

There are two solutions that you can choose from, each one varying in features and complexity.  The first solution utilizes a personal computer.  Several home surveillance cameras are connected together to a system that will survey their areas and record what they see at either a set rate per second, or going by movement they detect.  Depending on the system you get, you may or may not be able to adjust these settings.

The computer will play back the video via the monitor, and record the video to the HDD, or hard disk drive.  You’ll need to connect the computer to the Internet through an ISP (Internet Service Provider), in order to watch the video from a distance.  To watch the video while you are away from home you will need to log into the computer with a unique username and password.  You can log in at any time, and to operate the computer or watch the video images that the computer surveillance system has recorded.

The other solution you have available is much easier.  Normally, this solution is used to check on a home through a single surveillance camera.  Setting things up this way will allow you to use a single camera through your IP (Internet Protocol) address.  By setting it up through your IP, all you need to do is check on things is to link directly to your IP.  Once you have brought up your IP address, you can see live views through the camera.  This method works similar to a webcam, in the sense that it streams video around the clock.

No matter which solution you choose, both are somewhat easy to use.  Of course the second solution is much easier to use and setup, although it does have it’s downsides as well.  Both have great things to offer you as well, including the ability to log in at any time.  You can check video any time you wish, even chance your preferences based on what you need.

Anytime you need to monitor your home from far away, home surveillance and the Internet is all you need.  The Internet is a common commodity these days, capable of doing far more than anyone ever thought possible.  By investing in a surveillance system that utilizes the Internet – you’ll be able to keep a watchful eye on your home from wherever the road takes you.