Holiday Home Security Tips

The holiday season is about to jump into full swing. Busy party schedules, shopping and travels to relatives and friends can leave homes unoccupied. According to police and the FBI, residential crime spikes during the holidays. Day are shorter and there is less daylight. Homes fill up with unwrapped presents, and burglars are busy shopping the neighborhoods. Make sure to secure your home and give yourself peace of mind while you are away from home – even if you’re just at the shopping mall. This home security checklist only takes a few minutes to review: it’s definitely worth the read, and you’ll want to take these precautionary steps.

Think Like a Burglar: Look at your home and try to find a way in. Are there ladders outside? Overgrown shrubs or trees give the intruder the advantage to climb into your home.

Social Media: Be very careful about what you post. Criminals could be reading your travel plans. Never post where you are going and how long you will be away. Your children should also not post anything about your travels on Facebook as well.

Doors, Windows, and Locks, oh my: The front or back doors are a favorite point of entry for a burglar. Lock your doors and windows. Over 60% of burglaries occur through an unlocked door or window. Use that deadbolt too! Here is a great article on where intruders break in. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/burglary-070507/graphic.html

Don’t Give Away The Keys to the Castle: Don’t put an address on your keys. A keychain without an address is useless to a burglar, but with your address it’s a hand-written invitation to your home. Also, remove your home address from your vehicle GPS in case your car is broken into.

Light ‘em Up: Burglar hate to be seen. Exterior lighting such as the ones that are activated by motion are a great deterrent to intruders, who enjoy the rear and sides of your home.

Stop The Presses! Mail and newspapers accumulating at the doorstep say “We’re away!” Suspend deliveries or ask a friend to keep things clean.

Close the Window on Crime: Make it harder to see those presents that are under the tree. And once those fancy electronics come out of their boxes make sure you break them down at for the trash pickup. Boxes are a clear advertisement for burglars casing the neighborhood.

The Hidden Dangers at Home: Smoke/Fire, Low Temperature, and Water, Sump Pumps: Security systems can monitor all types of environmental conditions. A security system can alert by phone call, email for events like low temperature or high sump pump water level.

Use It Or Lose It! If you have an alarm system, use it! Just as with your door and window locks, even the best alarm system is no help unless it’s used. Over 50% of owners with alarm systems do not arm their systems on a regular basis.

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