If you’re planning a summer holiday this year, make sure you’ve considered your home security before you leave to make sure your valuables don’t make a getaway too!
Whether you’re heading for a weekend away or jetting off for several weeks, taking even the smallest security steps can make a difference to your home security.
We’ve rounded up our top five tips to help you keep your home safe.
Secure your Door Before your Holiday
The ground floor doors of your property are often the first method of entry a burglar will try – 67% of burglars break in through a door. In fact, 21% of all burglars who manage to get in do so by simply opening an unlocked door.
Burglars will use various methods to gain entry into your home by manipulating your lock. If your cylinder is old and weak or has no additional security features, it can take a burglar just seconds to break in! Check to see whether your cylinder has a BSI Kitemark, or any other credentials such as Secured by Design.
Our Kinetica+K4 locks are our most secure cylinders yet, packed with game-changing security features.
Don’t Leave a Spare Key Outside
Many of us have left a spare key somewhere near the front door for a family member or in case we lock ourselves out; don’t risk it! Most burglars will check around for spare keys and know the obvious places where they’re often hidden. Leave your spare key and any alarm codes with a trusted neighbour or friend while you’re away.
Is Anybody Home?
Lights off all day, open curtains overnight, and unopened letters piling up signals to an opportunist burglar that no one’s home. Some burglars will even attempt to peek through your letterbox for signs of an empty house.
If possible, have a neighbour or friend check on the house while you’re away to make the house seem lived in and keep post out of sight from the front door or porch. You can also buy plug adapters that set timers for your lights or radio/tv to come on and off at certain times, which makes it appear like people are home.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Before jetting off on your holiday, make you home less appealing by hiding your valuables and car keys from the view of passers-by.
Why not consider a home safe? This way you’ll have the reassurance that your valuables and car keys are locked safely away.
Think Before you Post
Burglars are constantly on the lookout for signs of an empty property – and often social media posts can provide them with this information. With this in mind, save uploading your envied holiday snaps until you get home.
If you are to post your summer ‘selfie’, check your privacy settings on social media to limit who you’re sharing these posts with. ‘Protect your tweets’ on Twitter and set your Facebook profile to ‘friends only’ to control who can see your posts. Turn off your location settings to avoid social media sites revealing where you are. Above all, think before you press post!
For more home security tips and info, take a look at our other blog posts.
