Security experts have spent decades warning American homeowners about the importance of having some sort of home security plan in place during vacation periods. After all, unoccupied homes are easy targets. How we have responded to those warnings seems to be inconsistent. Some people take home security very seriously while others do not. It is both strange and fascinating at the same time.
Vivint Smart Home, a company that provides home automation and security solutions around the country, wanted to know America’s thoughts on home security in the lead up to the peak of the 2021 vacation season. They surveyed 1,000 adults on a number of topics pertaining to home security and taking vacations. The resulting data reveals some interesting things.
People Are Ready to Travel
One of the main drivers behind the research was the belief that Americans were ready to travel after having been stuck at home with COVID restrictions for more than a year. Their assumption proved spot on. According to their data, 65% of the respondents were planning to leave home for vacation. Break that down by age group and you get the following numbers:
- Baby Boomers – 58%
- Generation X – 64%
- Millennials – 67%.
The desire for travel is pretty universal. When the survey was taken, people made it clear they were ready to get out and about.
People Are Anxious About Travel
Despite wanting to leave home for vacation, some 89% of those surveyed expressed anxiety about doing so. The number one factor behind respondent anxiety was the cost of travel. Some 57% were worried about the amount of money they would spend. Other reasons for anxiety were:
- Home Security – 42%
- COVID Fears – 39%
- Travel Delays – 34%
- Missing Work – 19%.
It is interesting that more people were anxious about the cost of travel than home security or COVID. But money is always a concern. How many people do not travel at all because they simply cannot afford it?
Keeping Their Homes Safe
Vivint’s survey eventually got to the topic of how respondents felt about home security strategies. A surprising 18% expressed fear or concern about a home security event happening while they were away. That translates to nearly one in five Americans worrying about burglary, fire, or some other threat.
The other side of that coin is the number of people who said they felt their homes would be safe during their 2021 vacations. A combined majority of respondents expressed feeling very safe (52%) or extremely safe (20%) in terms of their homes.
What did respondents say were the best ways to protect their homes? By far, the top response was locking doors and windows. Some 64% listed that as the most effective strategy. It should be no surprise, given how frequently home security experts harp on about the subject. Other strategies mentioned by respondents include:
- Asking neighbors to check on things – 64%
- Leaving lights on – 37%
- Monitoring with smart home devices – 28%
- Putting mail on hold – 25%
- Asking neighbors to retrieve mail – 23%
- Avoiding social media posts – 23%
- Installing new home monitoring equipment – 20%.
Again, these numbers really aren’t surprising. Between home security experts and the industry as a whole, those in the know have done a wonderful job explaining to homeowners how to protect their homes while they are away.
Data compiled at the end of the year will reveal just how many people actually left home to take a vacation. Likewise, 2021 crime statistics will show how many homes were burglarized during the peak of the vacation season. Will the data line up with Vivint’s survey? Time will tell.
