With gift-giving season upon us, everyone begins to shift all kinds of gears. We do a lot to plan and pay for all that the holiday season entails. One very important aspect of the planning and the cost is to protect all that you’ve planned and paid for. Unfortunately, this time of spending and giving means we usually have surplus money and goods in our home, not to mention our families, the most precious gift of all.
At Carod Properties, we know that the most important thing, in the beautiful homes we help you find, are the people who live in them with you. We’ve previously given you many functional tips and tricks to help protect your home. Hopefully, you were able to make use of some of them to feel safe and secure at home. But, we got to thinking, what are some less common or obvious practices to help you keep those loved ones and the tokens of love you purchased for them, safe?
Well…
- Never leave your home completely quiet. If you are going to be away for a significant amount of time, then leave a TV or radio on. Burglars might be bold, but they don’t want to run into the wrong end of Smith or Wesson if they can help it.
- If your entry way or area near your security keypad (i.e., window, transom, windows in your door) has a means to see it from outside, then it’s in the wrong place! Mirrors opposite your keypad are a no-no, too. Both scenarios allow intruders to see whether or not your system is turned on.
- “Security System” signs with fake numbers advertising that your home is being protected are good deterrents, in theory. They only work if you actually have a system in operation. It is an easy call to that “fake number” for verification that it’s a ruse. Don’t take the chance.
- Stackable patio seating may come in handy when you have those outdoor gatherings, but can mean trouble in the wrong hands. Those stackable chairs can mean easy access to those higher floors and windows in your home. Think of that creative seating as a stairway to heaven in a burglar’s mind. Lock them away or chain them to an immovable, stationary object when not in use.
- Lastly, if your car has a panic alarm on your keychain, carry your keys to bed with you. When you hear that someone is in your home, quicker than 911 or getting the gun from the lockbox, you can hit the button and hopefully that noise will act just like a regular alarm (that you may not have or that failed to sound upon break-in) and prompt the intruder to flee so that you can more safely take further action.
Long story short, take every opportunity you can to protect your residence and the people and things you have in it. When you’re not there make it seem like you are, and when you are there take a few of these precautions to stay safe. Don’t give the grinches of the world the satisfaction of stealing your holiday joy!
