These Home Safety Tips Will Help You Breathe Easy This Summer
Summertime is supposed to be made of months of carefree relaxation. However, it’s hard to relax when you feel like your home is left vulnerable while you’re away. There are several ways to give you peace of mind when you’re traveling or just aren’t at home for the long evenings of summer. Here are a few ways to protect yourself, your home and your belongings during the warmest time of the year.
- Automate Your House
By adding smart features to your home, you can both save on energy costs and defend your house while you’re on a summer vacation. One of the best things a smart house can do is convince people you’re home, even if you’re on vacation across the nation. You can turn lights on and off at will from a remote location, and you can arm and disarm your security system the same way. By 2027, over 627 million households will be powered by smart devices, which could increase security levels and potentially show a downturn in crime.
- Keep Windows Locked When Not in Use
You’ll likely want to enjoy the calming breeze of summer a bit more, which may lead to you throwing open the curtains and unlocking and opening your windows. If you let the fresh air in, also make sure to close and lock the windows when you’re out of the house. You may also want to move valuables out of the way so people can’t see them from the window. If something looks like an easy target, a would-be burglar may want to snatch it without much effort.
- Secure Your Pool
If you have a pool in your backyard, you should ensure it’s always secure, particularly when you’re not outside or not watching anyone in your backyard. A simple fence around your backyard pool, whether in or above ground, can save you from a potentially tragic accident just in case your child sneaks past you to investigate a new area. In fact, your insurance policy might require it to provide you coverage, so it’s worth the investment to keep your family safe.
- Use Motion-Activated Lights
If you don’t fully automate your home with security measures, at least install ample lighting around your house. Motion-activated lights can deter criminals from targeting your house. Solar-powered lights won’t waste electricity and can line your walkway, illuminating more of your house than you think. A completely dark house looks uninhabited, so you want to fend off burglars by any means possible. A well-lit home might make people think twice about targeting a house, especially if it means someone could be inside.
- Check on Your Garage Door
Your garage door separates your home from the outside. For one, it could be a strong barrier between you and a potential criminal who wants to access your home. It can also keep you safe from dreadfully hot weather in the summertime, thanks to its insulation properties.
If you notice something wrong with your garage door, you should never try to repair it yourself and instead should leave it in the hands of a trusted professional. New garage doors come with safety features, like photocells, to protect you from injury, so try not to bypass them in favor of what you think would work best.
- Hold Your Mail at the Post Office
If you plan to go on a longer trip this summer, tell the post office to hold your mail. This service ensures that mail isn’t delivered to your home while you’re away, so you don’t risk someone stealing sensitive mail without you ever seeing it. The mail is stored at your local post office until you pick it up. It’s a handy service to know about that can help you when you’re out of town for a week or longer, up to a whole month!
- Rely on a Security System
If your home doesn’t already have a security system installed, putting one in could be one of the best ways to defend your house against intruders. Though it might cost more for a more effective security system, simply having one could make a burglary less likely. Around 60% of criminals would choose a different target if they saw a security system at a house they planned to burglarize. It’s a worthwhile investment that can protect your home, regardless of if you’re there or on vacation, and you may find yourself using it a lot this summer.
- Or Rely on Your Neighbors
If you have a good relationship with your neighbors, you may want to ask them to keep an eye on your house. Even security cameras can’t give you the peace of mind you feel when someone you know cares for your home while you’re away. Try to strengthen your relationships with your neighbors so you can build a community of trust. It’ll be well worth it when one of you goes out of town and wants to ensure their house stays secure. Plus, you’ll have friends you can see almost any day of the week when you want some social interaction.
- Don’t Post About Your Vacation in Real-Time
While it might be tempting to show off where you are on social media, you should save the posts for after you return home. About 60% of burglary victims are active on social media, which may not lead to an immediate connection between the two, but it might be something to think about before you post about how much fun you’re having on vacation. When you advertise that you’re not at home, you might just reveal to a potential criminal that your house is unoccupied — and potentially undefended.
- Mind Your Spare Keys
You may not even know how many spare keys you have floating around. Be careful who you give keys to, and change your locks if you think you’ve given out too many spare keys over the years. Try to list everyone you know who has one of your spare keys. See if they still have them or if you can get them back. That way, you can control where your spare keys go and where they’re stored when not in use.
If you don’t plan for anyone to visit your home while you’re away, don’t leave a spare key out somewhere for them. Something like a fake rock is easily identifiable and can be an instant target for burglars. Then, they can break into your home and steal your items — without breaking something like your door or a window. Only leave a spare key out when you’re at home or in the local area or someone needs to access your house when you’re not present. Otherwise, you may just be making it easier for criminals to enter your home.
Protect Your Home Against Theft
Burglary can be scary and potentially traumatizing, so you should look for ways to improve your chances of deterring criminals. When you implement all these changes at once, you might feel safer while away from home. Security cameras, motion-activated lights and more can make would-be criminals feel like they’re being watched — and they may be less likely to steal from your home. Once you know what measures to take to protect your home and family, you can enjoy the summer worry-free.
