Want some home security tips for summer? Aviva reported a 48% increase in UK home theft claims when people have been on holiday between July and September. So we’ve gone all out with a huge list of twenty two things you can do to boost your home security this year.
It’s officially summer! School holidays are beginning, and it keeps raining… lots of people have trips to look forward to. Whatever you’ve got planned, it’s important to protect your home. So here’s a whole list of home security tips for summer.
22 Home Security Tips for Summer
1. Secure all doors and windows with sturdy locks. You can upgrade your locks yourself or ask a professional to do this for you. Make sure you get recommendations and that the new locks are to industry standards.
2. Install a home security alarm system. They’re well known to ward off intruders, just by being there. Choose one with a visible external bell box for the best deterrent. Make sure you use an NSI Gold approved installer to ensure you get the best standard of security.
3. Keep your landscaping well-maintained to eliminate hiding spots for intruders. All the warm weather combined with rain has caused some gardens to take on a wild look! This is great for pollinators, but make sure hedges are kept trimmed so there’s no place for criminals to hide.
4. Use outdoor lighting to illuminate your property at night and deter burglars. Lights on sensors switch on when the sensors are activated. Make sure they’re not over sensitive and speak to your installer to ensure it doesn’t compromise your CCTV.
5. Avoid leaving spare house keys outside or in obvious hiding spots. An unbelievable one in every eleven people leaves a key under a plat pot or the doormat. These are obvious hiding spots which seasoned criminals will check for easy access.
Protecting Parcels, Post and Online Posts
6. Have a trusted neighbour collect your mail and packages while you’re away. In the last year, the number of packages stolen from the doorstep and jumped up by 59% according to the guardian. Ask a neighbour or choose the option to collect from a locker.
7. Don’t advertise your holiday on social media or leave an outgoing voicemail message announcing your absence. This sort of thing lets people know your home is empty and is an open invitation to burglars.
8. Use timers on indoor lights to make it appear as though someone is home. This is a simple step and can be done with smart plugs.
9. Store valuables out of sight. It sounds really obvious but an unbelievable 52% of people don’t check that valuables are out of sight before setting off on holiday. Put jewellery, ipads, cash and games consoles away out of sight. This removes the temptation for anyone passing.
10. Be cautious about opening your door for strangers. Use your doorbell cameras or CCTV to check and respond to callers before opening the door. Always ask for ID from anyone calling to the door.
Summer Home Security Tip: Security Systems are the Best Deterrent
11. Have security cameras installed to monitor activity around your home. These allow you to check what’s happening at home wherever you are.
12. If you have a garage, make sure to keep the garage door closed and locked – even when you’re home. You could even have your home alarm programmed to keep the garage armed when the home alarm is unset.
13. Summer is a great time for getting jobs done in the garden, but make sure your tidy away when you’re done. Leaving ladders, tools or garden equipment outside in view not only risks weather damage and shortens the life of your equipment, if also puts your home security at risk. Ladders and tools could be used by criminals to gain access to your home.
14. Lock your car and keep your car keys safe inside your home. Keys left in or near the door can be stolen by fishing through letterboxes. Some car thieves use signal enhancers to unlock your car so store keys away from the front of your home.
15. Report any suspicious activity to the police as this may help to piece together evidence of other incidents in your area.
Neighbours can help when you’re Home and Away
16. Join the local neighbourhood watch program. These are shown to increase vigilance and improve security in streets. They can also boost the community spirit of your area. If there isn’t already a neighbourhood watch scheme in your area, why not start one?
17. Teach your children some home safety skills. As they will probably be at home more throughout the summer holidays, it’s important to remind them of some home safety aspects. Explain the importance of not opening the door for strangers. Ask children to come and get you if they hear a knock at the door, rather than opening the door.
18. Set your house alarm at night time to protect you and your family whilst you’re asleep.
19. Plan ahead – make sure you’ve got security measure in place in time before you travel on holiday.
20. Cancel regular papers and milk deliveries. Newspapers poking out of the letter box and a doorstep full of milk is a big clue to an empty home.
21. Ask your neighbours to put the bin out for you and bring it back in. Make sure you reciprocate when they’re going away too. Let them know you’re away so that if they see someone around your home they know it’s not an invited visitor.
22. Always lock up and set your house alarm when you’re going out – even if it’s only for a short period of time.
Book now!
To help you implement these tips, we offer free home security surveys. Don’t delay, book now to get your security system in place in time for your holiday. Book online or call us directly on 01535 661197