While you’re away this summer, you want to feel confident that you’ll return from your holiday to find your home the way you left it. Did you know that leaving your house key underneath a planter or doormat is one of the top five ways burglars get into houses? When going on summer vacation protect your home by making your property secure and safe from burglars and other intruders.
Put indoor lights on a timer.
Make burglars think someone is home. Before going away put lights on timers in rooms you typically use in the evenings. Lights that come on in the kitchen, living room, family room, or a bedroom might deter break-ins when you’re not there.
Install outdoor lighting (if you haven’t already).
Burglars and thieves breaking and entering don’t want to be noticed. Installing motion detector lighting on your property is an effective way to deter home invasions.
Other types of outdoor lighting can be instrumental to home security while you are on vacation. Install lights on either side of the garage door. Illuminate the deck or patio. Driveway guide lights, particularly ones above ground, will brighten up your home’s exterior. Use timers and controls to turn them on and off.
How secure are the doors to your home?
While many of us are under the impression that burglars breaking and entering use windows for access, intruders usually enter through the front door or back door. If you live in an older home, consider replacing a hollow core door for a solid core one. Install dead bolts.
If you already have a dead bolt, upgrade locks by replacing strike plates with longer strike plates.
Replace hinges with burglar-proof hardware.
Does your front door include glass windows or panels? Add security film.
Are there locks on the windows?
If the windows aren’t already lockable, adding locks is a simple crime prevention strategy. Definitely install locks on ground floor windows. Especially if trees grow close to the house, install locks on second-storey windows as well. Do locks matter when they can just break the glass, you might ask? Again, most burglars don’t want to draw attention to themselves – breaking glass make noise.
Eliminate hiding places.
Trim overgrown shrubs and bushes. They are great places for intruders to hide from view while breaking and entering.
Add outdoor lighting to landscaped areas that are in the shadows of the house, garage, or fence.
Don’t make it easy for intruders.
Remove (permanently) the spare key from under the welcome mat.
Suspend mail service and newspaper delivery for the duration of your summer holiday.
Put a “No flyers please!” sign on your mailbox.
Lock gates, the storage shed, and any other accessory building on your property.
To prevent someone from intentionally or accidentally opening the garage door with an electronic device, lock it manually before you leave.
Prevent burglars from gaining access to personal information, even your home. Lock-down your Wi-Fi network, especially if you use a home security app.
Replace any burnt-out bulbs in outdoor light fixtures.
Put away anything that can be used to reach the upper floor of your house – garbage bins, ladders, or patio furniture.
It’s not just intruders of the human kind you want to keep out. Check fences for holes that can let in pests like raccoons, neighbourhood pets, and rabbits – they can do serious damage to your property while you are on vacation.
