Security in summer
To many, summer is a relaxing time of year with longer days to spend time with friends and family. To others, specifically the more opportunist type, it is the perfect time to breach others’ home security. There are many reasons why summer leaves our homes much less secure than other seasons which we will look at throughout this blog.
The temperature increase can be the cause of many security weaknesses. It not only affects our behaviour but it also affects how materials react and work. In summer we regularly leave windows and doors open to let a breeze in. These create more accessible, low effort access points into our homes. The heat can also make our windows and door fittings swell which can affect our ability to lock or even close them. It is highly recommended to check that door, window and lock mechanisms are working as they should.
Many of us go on holiday and leave our homes unattended for long periods of time without any plans in place for them to be checked on. We recommend telling a neighbour, friend or family member the dates that your home will be vacated for. This allows them to be able to keep an eye on delivery build up. A clear sign that your house is empty is if you receive a subscription of newspapers or you have regular deliveries of milk or other produce that are left outside throughout your whole trip away. Another great way of making your house appear occupied is by leaving a car on your driveway. It is even better if you have a neighbour that can put a car that will be used regularly on the driveway to give the impression that people are actively visiting and leaving the property.
The World we live in heavily involves the use of social media. It is used to keep loved ones updated on what we are doing and sharing information and pictures with our followers. For the majority of time this is completely harmless to do, however, we are usually very unaware of who is following us. When we post our holiday pictures to social media live whilst away, we are showing to everyone that we are away from our homes and for an extended period of time. We would recommend waiting until you return home from a trip to post photos on your social media pages. This is to avoid unwanted people knowing that your home is unoccupied and that you are away for a long enough time for someone to optimise a break in.
When the weather is dry and less likely to damage our belongings it is common for people to leave things such as bikes, kayaks and other larger objects outside in gardens instead of packing them away just to get them out the following day which can catch the attention of opportunists. To combat this make sure to pack all valuable items away into locked and secure places such as garages or garden sheds.
Another way to make your home appear as though it is occupied is by using timers on lights inside of the house. These can be set to follow a routine whilst you’re away to make it look like you are moving from room to room. On the subject of lighting it is also a good idea to make sure that your front and back gardens are well lit. Not only will this help with any security camera you have but it is also one of the best ways of deterring burglars. A really effective method is installing motion detecting lights, this way anything that triggers that light will be visible to you from inside your home.
Ensuring your garages and sheds are locked at all times is really important. When leaving these doors open and the content inside visible we are advertising what is being stored in there to passers by. One of the most frequently stolen items is tool kits which are often kept in these types of places and are usually of quite high value. It is also important to keep attached garage doors locked as in many cases these have a door inside that has access to the home.
Installing a round the clock alarm and monitoring system will give you further peace of mind. This is the most reassuring way to secure your house as if something were to trigger any alarms it will be seen by your alarm monitor. They can then see whether the alarm was triggered by accident or if there is a security threat. They can then get in touch with the emergency services a lot quicker especially if you are away from the property. It also can put your mind at ease that you and your family are safe when inside the property.
It is really important to always ensure that your home is kept as secure as possible. By following the advice found in this blog you can enjoy a worry free summer knowing that your home is as secure as it can be.
