Home security tips for the Easter Holidays
If you have added on a few extra days to the Easter weekend, you could be looking at a week or more of pure bliss! Packing up the family for the holidays and heading to the beach, country or anywhere that takes your fancy is a treat that we all deserve at some time or another.
The problem is that one burglary takes place every 20 seconds and more than 4500 burglaries occur every day in the United States, making home security an essential component of preparing for your holidays.
So here are a few home security tips to keep your home safe from opportunistic burglars who can see that your home is vacant for the holidays.
Home security checklist
Windows and doors: Make sure that all the doors and windows to your home are locked securely to deter thieves, this includes windows on the second floor. Also, ensure that the internal door between the garage and your home is securely locked and don’t leave the key where it can be located easily. This is one of those home security tips that you should implement, whether you are on holiday or not!
Install light timers: These are ideal for switching on and off lights, radio stations and TVs, so that from all appearances, it looks as if there is someone at home. When burglars realise that someone is at home, they might be less likely to break in, particularly if they are looking for an easy job.
External sensor lights: These are ideal for the driveway and the back porch area, but also for the front door – if it’s not covered by the driveway sensor. When a bright light blazes on thieves who approach your garage or external doors during the night, it’s enough to make them leave and go elsewhere. Sensor lights are a great home security tip that will work for you 365 days of the year, not just when you go on holiday.
Turn off water: Make sure to turn off the mains water to the house, otherwise there will be no-one to notice if one of your pipes bursts and your home floods. You can turn off isolation taps throughput your home, but that doesn’t help if a pipe external to your home bursts. So always turn off your home’s main water supply, just to be on the safe side.
Secure your vehicles: If you leave a vehicle at home when you go away for the Easter holidays, always lock it up and hide the keys. This could be a family car, caravan, RV or motorbike – don’t make it easy for thieves. As an additional home security tip, you could turn off the power to the automatic garage doors, making it even more difficult for burglars to enter your home.
Lock external buildings: If you have a garden shed that contains equipment or tools, even a second building that is used as a home office, den or retreat, the same home security tips apply – keep them locked and add external sensors as appropriate.
Photograph valuables: Computers, jewellery, artwork, pushbikes, TVs and DVDs, even antique furniture – all of these and any other valuables should be photographed and engraved for future identification. It’s not nice to think that your home could be burgled, but if the worst does happen, make sure that you can identify your valuables.
Hold the mail: Always make sure when you go on holiday that you either hold the mail or ask a friendly and trustworthy neighbour to collect your mail. Mail that collects in your mailbox is a dead giveaway to burglars that the home is empty, as is a collection of junk mail or newspapers on the driveway.
Install security cameras: If you can’t afford a back to base home security system where security personal attend your home if an alarm sounds, our best home security tip is to install a few wireless cameras throughout your home. These can be internal and external cameras that save any recordings of activity to the cloud, alert you if there is movement and which you can check anytime using your smartphone.
Half a dozen spy cameras may set you back $100 a piece for the basic models, but all you need is a camera that records and alerts you to intruders when you are on holiday. Nanny cams are the perfect choice for home security, because they can serve both purposes – keeping an eye on your family at home and your home when you are away.
These few home security tips should keep your property safe while you take your family away for their Easter holiday break.