How safe is your home while you are on holiday?
If you’ve endured months of cold, dreary British weather, you’re probably looking forward to your next trip away. Whether it’s a holiday to catch some winter sun in Tenerife, or a ski trip to the Alps, holidays are a time to forget the stresses and strains of daily life at home.
Leaving your house empty is always a risk, and it gives burglars an unwelcome opportunity to break into your house while you’re away. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to secure your home while you’re on holiday, so you don’t spend the week worrying about whether an intruder has broken in.
Inexpensive security enhancements
If you’re leaving your home unattended, even for just one night, you should invest in timer switches to turn lamps on and off in the hours of darkness. Cheap mechanical timers will follow a selected 24h pattern, while digital timers can be set to randomly switch things on and off between 6pm and 6am each day.
You should also leave on radios, and have a neighbour come round to move letters away from your hallway. If they’re happy to open and close curtains, that will also help to make your home look occupied.
Alarms and CCTV
Your burglar alarm should be your first line of defence, and you should be in the habit of setting it every time you go out. If your cat will be wandering around, invest in pet-friendly sensors for your alarm now so you can set it and forget it when you leave. A remotely monitored alarm offers genuine peace of mind, as there’s always someone local to respond if you’re thousands of miles away.
Don’t forget to set up CCTV cameras before you leave, since they can offer valuable peace of mind and give you the power to monitor your home in real time. We can advise you on IP systems that connect to your home router, so you can log on and check your home remotely using your normal smartphone or tablet.
Locks and physical barriers
Alarms, CCTV and lights should help to provide a deterrent against burglary. But if a burglar decides that they want to get in, you need physical barriers to stop them. You can put prickly hedges around your boundary to stop people hopping into the garden, but the best thing to do is securely lock them out.
Having good quality cylinder locks fitted to uPVC doors will prevent the bumping and snapping techniques that burglars rely on. On timber doors, aim to have a mortice lock, a deadlock and a concealed Chubb-style mortice bolt that is locked from the inside. We can advise you on placement and fit locks that comply with your home insurer’s requirements.
Bon voyage!
Going on holiday should be a time of complete relaxation. Don’t spoil your break by worrying about whether your home is safe and secure. Angel Security can give your home a complete security inspection, and we can advise you on the improvements that will prevent the distress of a burglary.
