Coming home from a fun and memorable vacation to find that your home has been broken into can be devastating. Not only do you end up feeling violated and unsafe in your own home, you must deal with law enforcement and your insurance agency to resolve the matter.

Preventing a break-in from occurring in the first place will help you enjoy your vacation knowing that your home is protected. With just a few simple tweaks, your alarm system can become a valuable tool to help deter criminal activity while you are away.

Program your interior lights.

Modern residential alarm systems are often part of a technology package that allows you to control your entire home with the push of a button. Many criminals would rather target a property that is empty because there is less chance of encountering resistance or getting caught while committing a break-in.

By using your alarm system to program your home's interior lights, you can give onlookers the impression that your family is still home. Interior lights can be programmed to turn on and off randomly throughout the day. This mimics life within the home and could help you deter criminal activity while you are on vacation.

Automate your exterior lighting.

Another way that you can use your home's residential alarm system to deter would-be criminals is by connecting your alarm system to outdoor lighting. This allows you to program your outdoor lights to turn on before dusk and turn off after the sun rises.

Automating these lights will ensure that outdoor lighting shines brightly each night without requiring someone at home to operate the light switch. Keeping your yard lit properly after dark will make it more difficult for criminals to break into your home without being seen. 

Invest in a programmable door lock.

Many people have a friend or neighbor check on their home while they are away on vacation. It's possible that someone watering your plants or collecting your mail could forget to lock your door, providing easy access for a criminal.

Adding a programmable door lock to your home security system eliminates the need for keys when accessing your home. You can simply provide your friend with the access code, then change the code once you return home to restore maximum safety.

Programmable locks also eliminate the need to hide a spare key under a rock or flower pot. Criminals will not be able to find your spare key while you are on vacation and make a copy for themselves when your home is protected with a programmable lock. Click here to find more information.