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Holiday - leave lights on?

bluedrop
bluedrop Posts: 662 Forumite
edited 11 December 2014 pm31 9:42PM in House buying, renting & selling
Hi all,
We are off to visit family for 2 weeks this Christmas. My neighbours house was burgled this summer when they were away for two weeks.

We have a working burglar alarm. I'm wondering if it's a good idea to leave the lights on in the upstairs bedroom. We have LED lights throughout. Would it be dangerous to leave them on?

I heard of people buying timer switches. How do you use them with existing lights? How do you use them at all?

I'm not leaving any valuables at home - but I'm worried sick ever since neighbours were burgled!

-Bluedrop
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
«13

Comments

  • marcarm
    marcarm Posts: 1,205 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Timer switches plugged into lamps.

    Don't cost too much from places like Argos or Homebase.

    http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9822911.htm

    Manual ones are 3 for £10 so a bit cheaper.
  • Have you not got a lamp you could put in the hallway where you could get one of these. They are not hard to use, you set a time to come on and a time to go off every 24 hours. Get the neghbours to keep an eye and make sure your post has been pushed through the letterbox properly.
  • kinger101
    kinger101 Posts: 6,525 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 11 December 2014 pm31 10:01PM
    Lots of people get burgled in the day. So lights wouldn't help then.
    Altough it's safe to leave the lights on, it's a bit of a giveaway if you leave your lights all day. So rig up a lamp on a timer switch. A radio too could help.

    If you have a drive way, you can ask a neighbour to park there some days. And check letters are not left hanging outside the letter box (a skill well beyond the capabilities most people who post leaflets these days).

    I'd leave the heating on at 10 C as well, just in case there is a freeze. Turn water off at the stopcock off as well.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • sidefx
    sidefx Posts: 1,235 Forumite
    We are looking out for our neighbours house at the moment as sadly she has had to go into residential care.Her relatives have taken care of the lights on timers,radio etc but we are happy to check the post is pushed through daily and encourage visitors to use her drive.


    We also ensure that the rubbish bins are put out each week ready for emptying and ensure we pop a few bits in each to give the impression that the house is still occupied.Maybe you could ask a friendly neighbour to do something similar?

    Wish I had a neighbour like you :A
  • nubbins wrote: »
    Have you not got a lamp you could put in the hallway where you could get one of these. They are not hard to use, you set a time to come on and a time to go off every 24 hours. Get the neghbours to keep an eye and make sure your post has been pushed through the letterbox properly.

    Not sure of the purpose of having a lamp in a hallway. How many people live in their halls or have a light there but not in a sitting room or bedroom when they are actually living there?
  • Also, if somebody's looking after the house and it's likely to snow, ask them to walk to/from your house door a couple of times to make footprints.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 17,538 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You could replace existing light bulbs in some of the rooms with 'dusk to dawn light bulbs'.
    For example: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dusk+to+dawn+light+bulbs&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adusk+to+dawn+light+bulbs

    Or if you want to use your existing bulbs, use an adaptor instead. (But make sure you choose one that works with low power LEDs). Some examples: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dusk%20to%20dawn%20lampholder&sprefix=dusk+to+dawn+lampholder%2Caps

    They will automatically come on when it gets dark. But it may look a bit weird because they will then stay on all night.

    (Don't forget to leave the room light switch in the 'on' position when you go!)
  • Also, if somebody's looking after the house and it's likely to snow, ask them to walk to/from your house door a couple of times to make footprints.

    Also, do it in very big boots so that burglars think a giant lives there.
    Mornië utulië
  • There is a lamp you can buy that flickers as if a tv set is on, this could also be connected to a timer.
  • A lot of burglars will give up if there is no easy entrance. Make sure all windows and doors are securely locked. no implements/heavy objects including gardening tools lying around in gardens that a burglar can use to smash a window (also put away garden furniture). A box to collect mail so burglar can't get hands through the letter box (emptied by neighbour if possible.)
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