Holidays are an exciting time for many families, as you get to take time off, enjoy each other’s company and of course relax! However, sometimes it’s hard to shut off our minds when we are so worried about our valuables at home. In this article, we’ll talk about how you can secure your home before the holidays.
Page Contents
- Add dowels to the windows and sliding doors
- Install a home security system
- Speak to your neighbors
- Clean up the yard
- Install motion sensor lighting
- Check your household insurance
- Video tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Are burglaries occurring more often during the holidays?
- Q: Just so strong are the locks in your home?
- Q: What are the most common causes of high crime rates during the Holidays?
- Q: Could your vehicle be broken into as well?
- Q: Should you leave your car in the garage when you’re gone for the holidays?
- Q: Is it recommended to leave the curtains open or closed while you’re away?
- Q: What do professionals recommend about the exterior lighting when you’re away?
- Q: What do you do with the garbage collector?
- Q: Is your garbage a tell-tale for the burglars?
- Q: Do you let people know you’re gone or not?
- Q: Is there a specific type of video surveillance system to install?
- Q: Where should you leave your key?
- Q: How should your home look like when you’re gone?
- Q: Why it’s essential to make it very difficult for burglars to get inside?
Add dowels to the windows and sliding doors
Windows and sliding doors are a definite weak point for many houses, as they can easily be broken into, or kicked in. A simple and cheap way to ensure that all of your entries are protected is to add dowels or rods into the sliding tracks. This way, it won’t be able to be opened from the outside.
Install a home security system
Home security systems are probably the best way to protect your home from intruders. Not only do they set off alarms, but they can also contact emergency services directly. To look for the best home security system for you, try and think about what your needs are. You might even consider adding in video cameras that can be observed through your phone or tablet.
Speak to your neighbors
If you plan on going away for an extended period of time, you might want to think about speaking to your neighbors beforehand. They can help keep an eye on the place and collect your mail, so it doesn’t look like nobody is home. Just make sure you provide them with an extra key and code to your home security system.
Clean up the yard
A messy and overgrown yard can easily draw in unwanted guests, as there are many places to hide. Before you go away, make sure you mow your lawn and clean up your garden as much as possible so that your home is easily visible from the street. Your house will less likely be a target, and your neighbors can easily keep an eye on the place.
Install motion sensor lighting
Motion sensor lighting is easy to install and is an excellent addition to your home. Not only will it help you make it in the door easier at night, but intruders tend to avoid housing with lighting. You can even get solar-powered lights that can save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bill. It’s a win-win!
Check your household insurance
Lastly, one of the most important things you want to do before going anywhere for the holidays is to check your household insurance. You want to make sure that it covers all of the necessities, especially while you are away. You can always update it if you need to! And that’s it! Now with your secure home, you can get back to enjoying your time with your family. Just remember to get your system installed by a professional, and speak to your neighbors before heading on your journey. Have fun!
Video tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are burglaries occurring more often during the holidays?
A: Burglaries and various crimes will happen a lot during the summer months, not only during the winter holidays. For example, in California, burglaries in December were almost 20% higher than the other months.
The majority of burglaries happen during daylight and at night, and it’s mostly the teenage males that broke houses and not experienced criminals with a violent background. Also, it seems that the burglaries tend to live within walking distance of your home, so know your neighbors.
Q: Just so strong are the locks in your home?
A: no matter which type of measures you take for securing your home for the holidays, it all becomes useless if the locks in your home are lousy. Look for durable, long-lasting locks with key control for the exterior doors. The lock should take tampering, such as pounding or drilling. When you’re shopping, you should look for the models with a Grade 2 rate for durability. Anything higher than Grade 2 is a reliable option.
Keep also in mind to utilize keys that cannot be duplicated if lost. High-security keys that come with protection against unauthorized duplication are the best to get.
Q: What are the most common causes of high crime rates during the Holidays?
A: People drink more alcohol during the winter holidays, so they often forget to prepare for burglaries. The pressures to offer gifts for the holidays also make people with less financial resorts to break in houses. Regardless of what you may think, it’s instead of the crowded neighborhoods and areas with people celebrating where burglaries occur more often.
Q: Could your vehicle be broken into as well?
A: no matter if it’s a holiday, you should always lock the vehicle and keep any of your items out of sight. Thieves aren’t interested in breaking into an empty car. Should you leave any of your items at sight, no matter if it’s sunglasses, briefcases, or cell phones we’re talking about, they will be more tempted to break into your car.
Q: Should you leave your car in the garage when you’re gone for the holidays?
A: Best way to take care of your car while you’re away is to leave it locked in the garage with anti-theft devices. On the side note, you should never leave the car running when you’re getting inside for a minute or so. You never know who’s coming.
Q: Is it recommended to leave the curtains open or closed while you’re away?
A: We all like to decorate our home for the holidays, and we kind of want to brag about it. Many of us have nothing to hide and are tempted to leave the curtains open. We like that neighbors get a glimpse of what’s inside. However, you’ll also be displaying your big screen HD TV, antiques, gaming consoles, and other pricey objects that are attracting burglars. Professionals in theft prevention highlight the importance of keeping the drapes and curtains closed as much as you can, especially if you’re going away for the winter holidays.
Q: What do professionals recommend about the exterior lighting when you’re away?
A: One way to keep burglars away from your property is to have exterior lighting, maintaining the property well-lit throughout the night. The rules apply to indoor lighting as well.
Keep in mind to use a timer for your exterior lighting so that they turn off automatically at dawn.
Q: What do you do with the garbage collector?
A: You should talk to a neighbor to solve the garbage problem. If the garbage collector collects on Monday and your garbage container is still out on Thursday, noisy people will know that you’re not home.
Q: Is your garbage a tell-tale for the burglars?
A: Discarded boxes of Playstation or Ultra HD will tell anyone interested that you’ve been shopping for Christmas. Never place the box right in the garbage, as you’re practically letting everyone know that you like expensive things. Try your best to get rid of the big boxes away from your home. Cut the boxes from the gifts before throwing them in a bag/trash can.
Q: Do you let people know you’re gone or not?
A: Your neighbors should know that you’re not home. You need someone to take care of your mail, garbage container, and water your garden when you’re gone. It can be a reliable neighbor or someone in the family.
Q: Is there a specific type of video surveillance system to install?
A: Installing a video system will provide even better protection when you’re gone. If you have a home security system, the professionally installed video surveillance system will record both outdoors and indoors, 24/7. You want the system to feature digital recording and remote monitoring capacities too.
Q: Where should you leave your key?
A: You may think that the spare key under the mat or the plant pot close to the door is an excellent hide, but it’s not. These are the first places where the thieves look. Be wise and leave the spare key to someone you trust. Ideally, it’s a neighbor so that he/she may immediately act if something goes wrong.
Q: How should your home look like when you’re gone?
A: It makes sense that burglars like to break in homes that aren’t occupied. As you’ve gone on a vacation, you should at least create the impression that you’re at home. You may install two or three light timers inside your home. Also, you should get some timers for turning on the TV/radio when you’re gone.
Q: Why it’s essential to make it very difficult for burglars to get inside?
A: Easy access is excellent for you, but it’s the best way to keep burglars interested. It’s never a good idea to place the Christmas tree and the lovely gifts in front of a window that is easy to access. You will only attract the burglars, tempting them to break the window and grab the pretty gifts.
