Summer is in full swing, and with summer comes the long-awaited vacation. There are many people who find value in buying their own vacation home so they don’t have to rely on rentals or hotels, and they want a home that’s comfortable to them. If you’re one of these people, you probably worry about the security of your home while you’re away. With these 5 tips, you can learn how to keep your second home as secure and burglar-proof as possible.
Monitoring System
The best way to keep an eye on your home is with a monitoring system. You can install cameras to keep an eye on the front door or different parts of the house. This will give you peace of mind to know that your home is safe. In the occurrence that your home is broken into, you’ll have enough evidence for police, and you will be able to identify exactly what was stolen.
A monitoring system can also be used to check on your home if there’s inclement weather, like a hurricane. There are water leak sensors that can alert you if there’s flooding in your home or if a water pipe bursts.
Make Your Home Look Occupied
If this is your second home, chances are you aren’t there constantly. An empty home is a vulnerable home. If there is mail or newspapers delivered to your vacation home, have a neighbor collect them so they don’t pile up. You can also reroute your mail or magazine subscriptions so they aren’t delivered to your home at all.
Burglars notice patterns when looking for a target. Using smart home technology, you can set timers for your lights to come on, making it appear that someone is home.
Additionally, if there is a car that is left at your vacation home, park it in your garage. Burglars will notice if the car doesn’t move or if it starts to collect dirt and never gets clean.
Spare Keys
Make sure to never leave a spare key under the doormat or in a hide-a-key. This is an easy target for burglars and would give them easy, instant access to your home. Instead, leave the key with a trusted neighbor or a friend who lives nearby.
You can also consider using a smart home door lock. This will allow you to have access to your home, even if you lose or forget your key. Smart home door locks are similar to alarm systems. You can use a key fob or security code to unlock the door.
Doors and Windows
Your doors and windows are the weakest points of access into your home, so you need to secure them as well as possible. Many houses are built with half-inch nails in the door plate, which are easy to kick in. Instead, replace them with 4-inch nails, making it very difficult or impossible to kick in a door. Make sure you have dead bolt locks to reinforce the doors.
Most windows are susceptible to being broken, and there are several different options for securing your windows. One of the easiest options is to attach window contacts. Many alarm systems offer window/door contacts as part of their security, like the Helix and Honeywell security systems. Other options include window locks or reinforced glass.
Learn how to secure your house’s doors and windows.
Get to Know the Community
When you’re not able to watch what’s happening around your home, your neighbors can. Your neighbors can watch what’s happening around your home when you’re not there. Oftentimes, vacation homes are in small, close-knit communities and those residents are neighborhood watch dogs.
Get to know your neighbors and let them know when you won’t be at your second home. Exchanging phone numbers can allow your neighbors to text or call you if they see something suspicious and can call the police if necessary. Your neighbors can also help you with your mail and keep a spare key on hand.
Next time you stop by your vacation home, you can put all these security measures into place to make sure it’s as secure as possible. Learn how Alarm Relay can help monitor your home while you’re away and the various security cameras that you can install.
