Essential Security Tips for a Secure home this Summer
As the summer approaches, and the good weather is making an appearance, many of us eagerly anticipate days at the beach and jetting off on holiday. While it’s exciting to plan your summer, it’s equally important to take the necessary measures to protect your home while you are away.
Winter was traditionally the busiest time of the year for break-ins in Ireland, which is what you may expect, with the darker evenings.
However, in 2022, The Gardaí reported that 3,067 burglaries took place in Summer, compared to only 2,988 in Winter. This makes sense as many houses are vacant during the summer months.
Here at HomeSecure, we are all about the handy tips and we want to make sure that your home security does not become one of those figures that the Gardaí released. With that in mind, we have compiled some guides to ensure your only worry is what time is right to set off for the beach.
Invest in a Monitored Alarm
Investing in a home security system can be a life saver, not just for holidays but even if you’re at home. The handy thing with having a monitored alarm is that they are designed for when you are on the go. With all the stress of packing for holidays and ensuring you haven’t forgot anything; it could be easy to forget to set your home alarm. Modern security systems allow you to set your alarm remotely through an APP, so you can check if your system is armed or disarmed while relaxing on holiday! Handy, right?
A great thing about owning a monitored alarm is that it will alert you if a door or window has been opened. If your alarm is with HomeSecure, you will be notified before anyone even enters your home as our window sensors are equipped with shock sensors, ensuring an alert if there is even an attempt! With a monitored alarm, you get 24/7 protection. If your alarm was to sound, the monitoring team will not only notify you, but also notify your keyholders to check for false alerts. If there is a break-in the monitoring team will send the Gardaí to your home to check out the situation, all before you could even think about needing to book a flight home!
Avoid Posting on Social Media
We all love a good holiday selfie, or an Instagram story of the airport drinks, but what if I told you burglars look for signs your home is vacant. By posting the airport pint before taking off, you are serving them information that you won’t be home for a while. If your home is vacant and unsecured (no alarm system in place) you could be returning home from a holiday to a burgled home. Imagine going on holiday to become stress free and returning home to all your belongings being stolen! Leave your holiday snaps for when you return, trust us, it’ll be worth it!
Make it Appear as if you are Home
An empty driveway for a long period of time is a clear indication that a house is vacant, especially if it has been gone a few days! Parking your car in the driveway will not only deter burglars, but you will also save on the hassle of those airport car parks! If you have planned to take your car on your trip, especially on those family summer road trips, ask a neighbour or family member to check in on the house a few times a week. Another smart tip is to invest in smart plugs! Controlling your home lighting to go on and off at certain times a day will give the illusion that someone is in the home. The more you make it look like someone is in the home, the less likely it is that you will be burgled. HomeSecure customers can add smart plugs to their home security pack and control them from the app, so you can turn on a light in the evening as you enjoy your holiday pints!
Figuring out how to secure your home shouldn’t feel like another chore when you are trying to organise summer holidays. Relax, you probably have hundreds of things on your mind when preparing for a holiday and haven’t even thought about Home Security. If you would like to make the process simple and easy, contact HomeSecure on 1800 844 024 we will be sure to have your home secure, so you have one less thing to worry about!