Summer officially ends on September 22nd. The kids are going back to school and your well-oiled fall routine is about to kick off, and your house is going to be quite lonely again. While it’s true that home break ins are thought to happen in the summer due to family vacations to the beach, you and yours will likely travel even more than you realize in the upcoming months due to various holidays. Scammers and robbers will take advantage of every opportunity they can – here are your 6 Home Tips to help secure your home from a break in.
1. Monitor when your front door is open and closed
34% of homes are broken into by the front door – this is staggering. There are many ways you can monitor your front door. For example, purchasing a security camera or baby monitor that you can view from a phone app anywhere in the house or at work and facing it towards the front door. Some monitors alert you when the front door is opened so you can turn on the app and see right away if it’s your high schooler arriving off of the bus or if it’s someone more sinister. It’s a good idea to always double check the door is locked when you’re on your way out. That is your first line of defense.
2. When a door closes, make sure a window doesn’t open
24% of break-ins happen through a first floor window. In the fall, my family likes to keep our windows open to air out the house. It’s breezy and typically in the 70’s and who doesn’t like a little bit of fresh air? We have to be careful of drafts, though. When we open the front door, for instance, the back door shuts closed. While that’s the opposite of what we’re looking for, the same reaction could occur the other way if too much pressure is building within the house. It’s important to also check and double check your windows are locked – especially if you’re going to sleep. Leaving your windows open with only the screen leaves your home open to burglary.
3. Check your air conditioning window unit
If you live in a home with a window air conditioning unit – be aware. A popular technique burglar’s use is pushing in that window unit and climbing in that way. Make sure your unit is secure and unmovable from the outside. Test this out. If you’re unsure, it’s always safe to have a home improvement technician come out to help you secure your unit to prevent possible break-ins.
4. Have a way to call 911 remotely
It doesn’t help knowing someone is breaking in if you’re on vacation. You can have all of the bells and whistles I’ve mentioned previously, but if you cannot get a hold of a neighbor or do not know how to contact your local law enforcement, it’s all for naught.
5. Maintain and check your sliding glass doors
Did you know that sliding glass doors are extremely easy to pick the lock? There’s a simple solution to safeguard your sliding door. Placing a piece of wood on the back of a sliding glass door will keep people from being able to open it.
6. Integrate smart lights to make your home look lived in
Do you remember that scene in Home Alone where Kevin McCallister was able to trick the robbers outside of his house with his elaborate party scheme? The lights were on, there was music playing, and he even put a cardboard cutout of the one and only Shaquille O’Neill on a train set to make it look like the home was still lived in. While you don’t have to go that far, smart lights can be integrated into your home. With Alexa and Cortana and other smart phone applications, you can set your lights on a timer or even turn them on remotely from a phone app anywhere in the world. This makes the home look lived in to deter a robbery even when you’re on vacation.
All of this and more is being discussed on the weekly Sunday edition of the Eric Stewart Show on WMAL at 7AM! Listen now right here and subscribe to our blog for more helpful tips and tricks to home selling and home buying.
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