If you’re heading off on holiday during summer, you want to ensure that your home is safe and secure from burglars and vandals. While you might be busy planning for the festive season and your trip away, give a thought to your home security.
Unfortunately, an empty house is a prime target for criminals, so here are some steps that you can take to keep your home nice and secure.
Have a neighbour check your mail and bring your bins in
When you’re away, you want to ensure that your home still looks like it’s lived in. Therefore, it’s important not to have an overflowing letterbox. Ask one of your neighbours or a friend who lives close by to empty your letterbox at least every couple of days.
Additionally, you could also ask the same person to bring your bin in after collection day. For extra security, your neighbour could even put your bin out before collection day to make it appear that you’re home.
Put your lights on a timer
Having lights on indoors can give the impression that someone is always home. This means that anyone casing your street will give your home a miss. Putting your lights on a timer is an easy and cost-effective way to keep your home safe from invasion.
You could consider doing the same with your TV or even a radio. Sounds coming from inside the house is a good deterrent to would-be criminals. Make sure that you vary the schedule a little or consider installing an app on your smartphone so that you can control the lights and appliances remotely.
Also, ensure that you have motion-activated lights outside. A light suddenly coming on will scare most intruders away. You could even consider having an electronic security system installed by a professional locksmith.
Organise a fortnightly garden service
If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, consider arranging for a local gardener or mowing service to come and mow your lawn and do a bit of trimming at least once a fortnight. A well-kept garden is another really good deterrent.
Ask one of your neighbours to park their car in your driveway
This is a no-brainer because a car in the driveway is a sure sign that someone’s home. It doesn’t have to be every day either. Just every few days or on an intermittent schedule.
Double-check your window and door locks before leaving
Obviously, you want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to get into your home while you’re away. For this reason, you want to make sure that you have the highest-quality window locks and dead locks on your doors. Quality locks that have been professionally installed are one of the best deterrents for would-be burglars.
But remember that it’s also important to double-check that all the windows and doors are securely locked before you leave home. There’s no point in having great locks if you don’t use them.
You also want to make sure that you have security screen locks installed by a professional residential locksmith and don’t forget to securely lock your garden shed and garage as well. This ensures that burglars can’t access your tools or ladder to break into your home.
Consider getting a house sitter
One of the best ways to keep your home secure is to have someone living there while you’re away. Your house sitter could also look after your plants and keep the garden tidy as well as bring in the mail and the bins
For any last-minute home security advice or electronic security installation do give us a call and our expert locksmith in Melbourne will happily assist you.
