Home security affects all of us and the vast majority of us will all naturally ensure that our homes are secure and locked even when we’re just popping down to the local shops for 15 minutes or so. Likewise, when we go to bed, we’ll lock all our external doors and close any larger downstairs windows for added protection almost without even realising it.
Where we need to pay even closer attention to home security issues, however, is when nobody is going to be in the house for perhaps a few days or even for a couple of weeks or even more. This isn’t uncommon. Most of us are likely to leave our homes unoccupied for a week or even longer at least once or twice a year when we go on holiday.
Others might also work away from home for part or all of the week too. Therefore, it’s important that we make all the proper checks before leaving our homes unoccupied for any significant length of time as a knowingly unoccupied house is far more likely to be targeted by a potential intruder than one where they are not sure if the occupants are at home or not. That shouldn’t cause alarm. After all, the overwhelming majority of people can safely go on their annual fortnight’s summer holiday and come back to a completely secure and undisturbed home but it is important that you make a few additional home security.
Locking Windows And Conservatories
Unsecured conservatories and French windows in particular are often the easiest targets for a potential intruder to gain access and present one of the biggest threats to home security. Therefore, you must ensure that these are kept locked and secure and, in fact, if all of your home’s interior windows come fitted with locks, you should try to get into the habit of not only closing but locking every window in your home, no matter how small.
Using Timer Devices On Lights
Home security timing devices on interior lights are very useful in deterring would be intruders. They should each be set to come on and go off at different times as all the lights coming on and going off at the same time would be a bit of a giveaway so check that your entire home security system is switched on before you leave and that lights are set to come on and go off at appropriate times and alarms are set.
Remember Garages And Sheds Too
Garages and sheds should also be secured too, especially as these days we are far more likely to keep expensive equipment inside them. Also, if you have a back gate on your driveway, make sure that it is locked as well as bolted. Just because you have a bolt on, doesn’t mean that you’re protected as an intruder can often very easily just slip their arm over the gate and unbolt it that way which they can’t do if it has a lock attached to it as well.
Security Lighting And Burglar Alarms
Make sure that any burglar alarms and home security lighting systems are turned on, both at the front and the rear of your property. Whilst a bolted and locked back gate would usually be enough to deter a would-be intruder, some will inevitably feel it’s a risk worth taking to climb up and jump over a back gate if it’s possible to do so and, once around the back of your property, they are less likely to be detected. However, with good home security lighting both front and to the rear, it’s going to make your home seem less of an attractive proposition to them and, so, they’re more likely to go and seek an easier target.
Keeping Valuables Out Of Sight
Although it might sometimes be a little impractical to move everything out of sight, if you’ve no net curtains or window blinds, try to avoid keeping valuable equipment such as PCs, laptops, expensive hi-fi equipment and things like LCD-TVs in full view of passers-by. Temptation can make even the reluctant intruder a little more curious and persistent.
Tell Your Close Neighbour Or Relative You’re Going To Be Away
What’s an even better form of protection is to let a close neighbour or relative know you are going to be away for a longer period than normal. That way, they are more inclined to pay more of an interest on anybody seen entering your driveway and, if there’s someone you implicitly trust, you may even consider giving them a spare key to ensure that curtains can be closed and opened accordingly and things like mail and newspapers are not left sticking out of the letterbox or on the mat. And, although you can’t account for junk mail, leaflets and free papers to be put through, make sure you’ve cancelled any normal newspapers and milk deliveries before you leave. If you follow all of this home security advice, the chances are that you’ll experience no problems whilst you’re away.
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