It Starts With The Locks: How To Make Sure That Your Home Is Secure When You Go On Vacation This Summer
Summer is almost here. If you and your family plan on heading out for vacation this year, it's time to start thinking about security. Even if you lock your doors when you leave, and stop your mail while you're gone, your home still isn't as secure as it should be. You might not realize this, but during the summer, burglars prowl neighborhoods looking for people who have gone on vacation. To make sure you don't become the victim of a residential burglary while you're on vacation this summer, here are four steps you should take before you leave.
Have Your Locks Replaced
Take a look at your exterior door locks. If they're the standard keyed locks, your home is not as secure as it should be. You see, those keyed locks can be broken into quite quickly. With the right tools, someone can pick those locks and walk right into your home. To prevent that from happening, let this be the year that you update your door locks to keyless entry systems. This type of system uses magnetic key cards, or alphanumeric codes, instead of the traditional keys. Your local locksmith can replace all the locks in your home so that you can feel more secure about leaving for vacation this summer.
Upgrade Your Home Security System
If you haven't upgraded your home security system lately, it's time to do that. This is particularly true if you haven't upgraded to smart home technology. One of the benefits of smart home technology is that you can monitor your home from wherever you are. That means, you'll be able to use your phone to access your home security system while you're away on vacation. You'll be able to turn the lights on and off remotely, which means burglars will think you're at home. You'll also be able to view your security monitors at any time of the day or night.
Disconnect Your Garage Door Opener
If you have an automatic garage door opener, burglars can use that to get into your home. In some cases, they can override your remote control, which will allow them to open your garage door. To prevent them from doing that, disconnect your garage door opener before you leave. Burglars will not be able to override your remote control if the door is disconnected. Not only that, but the door will be extremely heavy to lift, which will prevent burglars from manually opening it while you're away.
Contact Your Local Police Department
If you're going to be gone on an extended vacation this summer, stop by the police department and let them know. This will alert them to the fact that you're not going to be home, which will help alert them to any activity they see around your house.
Contact a company, like Bob's Lock & Key, for more help.