Ways To Keep Your Home Secured During Holiday Seasons

1. Reduce your appeal.

Keep any items of value out of sight. If your vehicle is on the driveway, keep it tidy with nothing on display. Never leave car keys near doors or windows and always hide them away.

2. Limit access

Ensure your doors, windows and gates are all closed, locked, and secured. Garage doors are notorious points of weakness and typically allow for quick access to high-value items. Consider additional protection using a ‘Garage Defender’. Think similarly for any garden storage areas which can be easily accessed. Remove any tools or bricks around your property that could be used to gain entry.

3. Improve your deterrent factor.

The appearance of security is key. Measures such as external lighting, CCTV camera(s) and an alarm system will immediately have would be thieves thinking twice and looking for easier properties to target. If you are considering a full security system then start with these solutions; if you are on a budget or looking for DIY, single integrated wireless units are available.

5. Get SMART.

A CCTV camera, with motion-activated alerts to your mobile, is an easy, effective and affordable start to improving home security. If you have an alarm, make sure you get a notification if it is triggered. A lamp on a SMART timer, or an older style analog plug timer will also improve your deterrent factor.

6. Ask for help.

If possible, share a key with a trusted neighbor and asking them to pop by to tidy post and deliveries away, and ideally open and close your curtains at dusk and dawn. This assistance hugely improves the appearance that your house is occupied, greatly reducing your vulnerability.

By: Hannah Wade | Cobac Security

7. Make the house look occupied.

Install a smart lighting system, which will turn on or off at certain times of the day and night or when motion is detected. A home monitoring system with security cameras that you can manage and control wherever you are is also a worthy investment.

8. Don’t overshare on social media.

Don’t go into details about when you’re leaving home or whether you’re going far away for an extended time. You may want to avoid posting photos at all while you’re on vacation. If you’re inclined to share, do so when the trip is over and you’re back home.

By: Davide Cusick | House Method

9. Use smart lighting.

Instead of just leaving the light on before leaving, use smart lighting technology that you can turn on and off remotely or set on a random timer. The same goes for television or radio. If you own more than one car, switch between the two vehicles, with one parked on the driveway every now and then*. Even if you maintain a strict scheduled routine, don’t make it apparent for someone looking from the outside in.

By: James Surrey | Review Home Warranties