Unfortunately, with the warmer weather come more home break-ins. In fact, more burglaries occur during the summer than any other time of year. While enjoying the nice fresh air, families tend to leave doors and windows unlocked, and their blinds open. Many people also go on vacation leaving their homes vacant. Everyone knows to drink plenty of water and make sure they have their sunscreen and bug-spray on, but here are some other helpful tips to make your life more convenient and safe when the weather starts to warm up (although these are also really helpful year round).
1. Always arm your security system when you’re not home
I know this one sounds self-explanatory, but there are a large percentage of alarm users that forget to arm their system on a regular basis. When you arm your system, your panel will not only inform you if any doors or windows were left open, but will also scare away any potential burglars in the event of an attempted break in.
2. Don’t just use a yard sign as a deterrent
Many people know that in most cases an alarm system is just a deterrent –meaning only a small percentage of burglars actually get caught, most are just scared away. The security system does its job though, because the whole point is to avoid getting burglarized. Almost every home now days has a yard sign whether they have security or not and burglars know this! Most admit to just going door-to-door looking for a home with a door or window that’s unlocked, and if they hear a security system beep they run away. As mentioned in part 1, you never have to worry about leaving a door or window unlocked when you have a monitored security system that you’re strict about setting every time you leave your home.
3. Get a smart thermostat hooked up to your security system
A smart thermostat is a summer must have! Set energy saving schedules to help you save on your energy bill or use it to turn the temperature down when you’re on your way home from a weekend getaway, so it’s not 100+ degrees in your house right when you get home. These thermostats are completely controllable from your smart-phone and are actually really affordable.
4. Don’t let the world know when you’re on vacation
Some burglars will watch homes and people very closely to make sure no one’s home. Be careful what you post publically online and on social media. People can actually access public social media posts and will know who posted them by their location. Also, get your lights hooked up to your security/automation system so you can turn the lights off and on periodically through your smartphone app to make potential burglars think someone’s home.
5. Don’t use the old hide-a-key method
No matter how clever you think your hiding spot is, chances are it’s been used before and someone will be able to find it. If a burglar really wants to get into your home they will try just about anything. Add a smart door lock to your security system to let in house cleaners, pet-sitters and family members. Then just look on your phone when they leave to make sure the door is locked and security system set.
