I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sick of being stuck indoors by now. So it’s no surprise that as the world starts to reopen, many people are taking every opportunity to get out of the house and do things again! But what that also means is that a lot of homes are now unoccupied for long periods of time again, which means burglars are starting to scope out new targets. So, just in case you’ve forgotten, we wanted to share with you some tips for improving your home security as the world reopens – even when you’re not in the house.

Set Your Alarm

Let’s be honest, there haven’t been many reasons to leave the house over the last year and a half! But that also probably means you’ve got out of the habit of setting your home alarm. Having an alarm installed as part of your home security system is all well and good, but if you don’t actually set it when you go out, then it’s absolutely worthless. If your alarm system has been lying dormant and gathering dust, the first thing you should do is give it a once over and see if it needs a service. Making sure it’s all in working order is important, so if you can test it (and know how), do so. If something seems wrong, contact your security company and ask for a service. Once you know it’s all working properly, you need to get back into the habit of setting it when you leave the house. Whether you set yourself a reminder to go off 5 minutes before you leave or stick a post-it note on the front door to remind yourself, it doesn’t matter – as long as it gets you to set the alarm!

Home Security 101 – Don’t Hide a Spare Key

To be clear, we don’t mean you shouldn’t have a spare key, or keep it somewhere convenient so that you can get into your house if you lose your keys. What we mean is to not hide them in obvious places, like in a flowerpot, under a rock, above the doorframe, or god forbid under the doormat! Instead, invest in a key safe, These can be attached anywhere on the outside of your house, and can only be opened either by key or security code entry. This means you have a spare key if you need it, but it’s in a safe place only you can access.

Invest in Smart Bulbs 

If you tend to stay at work late, go out a lot, or even only have one car – there are a lot of benefits to making it look like someone is actually in your house. Smart bulbs or smart plugs are a great way to do this. You can either set them to turn on or off on timers, or you can even find some you can operate through your phone, so you can control exactly when they turn on and off. So if you’re on holiday, stuck at work late or just want the extra security, you can turn any light fitted with the bulb on and off whenever you want. This is much better than the very predictable routine of the conventional plug-in timer switch, which many burglars know to look out for.

Be Mindful on Social Media

It’s always tempting to show off the fancy places you’re going on social media – but it’s not always the most secure option, especially if you’re on holiday. And we know that temptation is all the stronger because we’ve all been shut away for so long, and we want to feel like the world is returning to normal. But publicising your location, and that you’re away from home on a non-private social media account is like ringing the dinner bell for intruders. They will see this as a signal that the property is unoccupied, and it’s the perfect time to break in. And if you tend check in wherever you go, they can use this is establish a pattern of when you’re least likely to be home, and plan to break in then.

At Securifix, we offer free, no obligation security consultations to help you ensure your home is as safe and secure as it can possibly be. We also offer tips and advice based on the type of home you have, your routine and even the area you live in. So if you would like to know more, and get in touch with our team today.