The holidays are a time for family, friends, and celebration. Unfortunately, it can also be a time for burglars often take advantage of the chaos of the season to strike. That’s why it’s important to take precautions to secure your home before the festivities begin.
The holidays are a time when many people are away from home. This can make your home an easy target for criminals. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 home security tips that will help keep you, your home and your loved ones safe this Christmas!
We would be happy to help you protect your home during this holiday season.If you’re looking for more advice or want to enlist the help of a professional locksmith, contact Halls Locksmiths today!
1. Install quality locks on all of your home’s doors and windows.
This is perhaps the most important step you can take to keep your home secure. Keeping your back and front door secured is the best way to keep burglars out,and your valuables in! Invest in high-quality door locks from reputable local locksmiths, such as Halls Locksmiths, read our article to find everything you need to know for changing your locks.
2. Keep your home well-lit.
Darkness can be a home invader’s best friend, so make sure your home is well-lit both inside and out. Consider installing motion-detecting lights on the exterior of your home, or using timers to turn interior lights on and off throughout the night.
3. Keep any valuables hidden or secured away.
Burglars and home invaders are often looking for an easy target, so be sure to keep any expensive jewellery, electronics, or other valuables out of sight. You can also invest in a home safe or hidden compartment to keep your most valuable items secure.
4. Install CCTV system to monitor your home when you’re not there.
While your home is unoccupied, it may become a target for intruders. Security cameras help to discourage burglars and identify culprits through CCTV footage in the event of break-ins.
CCTV users can rest assured that nobody can approach or gain access to their home or business premises without their knowledge or permission. This can be extremely beneficial when you are away from your property and can provide peace of mind when you are away from home.
5. Install a burglar alarm in your holiday home.
Burglar alarm systems are not only a great security measure to prevent burglaries, but they also effectively alert the owner of any break-ins. Moreover, if you’re away over Christmas, burglar alarms will still be effective in alerting local authorities of any suspicious activity.
6. Secure your garden.
An unsecured garden is a risk to your home and possessions. There are many ways you can secure your garden, including keeping hedges and fences high to limit access, adding good quality padlocks to gates, and locking your valuables and tools away in a secure shed or outhouse.
Using sheds and storage buildings to hide valuables and tools can prevent thieves from easily getting them out of your garden. This also ensures they can’t be used as an aid in getting into your house.
7. Keep a close eye on packages left at your doorstep.
With the holidays come lots of online purchases, which can make it easy for thieves to scope out potential home invasion targets. Be sure to keep an eye on any packages left at your home, and if possible, have them delivered to a secure location instead.
8. Use a safe for valuables.
Burglars want to make the best use of their time so they will break into houses when they believe there is something worth stealing. By installing a safe for your valuables burglars will be less likely to steal your valuables due to the added time and skill needed to attempt to break into a safe. Safes are a great security option that comes in a range of sizes, cash ratings, and prices. Find the best safe to keep your valuables secure and prevent theft.
If you already have a safe at home – Find out how to get the most out of your safe.
9. Don’t let your house appear vacant.
If you’re leaving your home for long periods over Christmas, it’s vital not to advertise that your home will be empty. An unoccupied house gives burglars more time to break in and take your valuables.
Often, burglars look for telltale signs that your home is empty like social media posts about being away, mail piling up by the door, no cars in the driveway, and houses dark for long periods of the night.
Do your best to not make it clear that you’re away:
- Don’t post about your holiday on social media – instead share with a few close friends and family
- Ask a neighbour to check for mail every day
- Get a house sitter to stay while you’re away
- Set a timer on your lights to give the impression that you’re home
10. Use anti-snap locks.
Cylinder snapping (or lock snapping) is a method used by burglars to break into properties with euro cylinder locks. It’s very common due to the lack of skills it requires for thieves to snap the lock. Many types of euro lock cylinders are prone to lock snapping and can be found on almost all domestic houses with UPVC doors, and a significant number of composite & aluminium doors.
To protect your home from this type of attack, consider installing an anti-snap lock. Anti-snap locks are made out of high-security euro cylinders that are designed specifically to resist being snapped in half.
Learn more about anti-snap locks
By following the tips above, you can help keep your home and belongings safe and protected while you celebrate.
If you have any questions about home security,need assistance installing locks or other home safety features, don’t hesitate to contact a professional locksmith like Halls Locksmiths. Our customer service team will give you expert advice and guidance on the wide range of locksmith services we provide.
We wish you a safe and happy Christmas!
