Spring/summer is all about having fun, relaxing and enjoying the outdoors, but it’s also important to ensure that your house is secure at all times. Whether you’re gardening, playing in the backyard with the kids, going for a walk, or heading out for a weekend at the cottage, there are several things to remember when it comes to keeping your home safe.
“Burglars are aware that Canadians spend more time away from their house and travel throughout the spring, so it’s crucial to make sure your home is not left vulnerable to break-ins,” said Steve Kolobaric, Marketing Manager, Weiser. “A few proactive steps can make the difference between your home being at risk to unwanted intruders or being passed by.”
According to Weiser, a leader in innovative and secure door hardware, some of the steps you can take include:
Keep your doors locked
You might be inclined to leave your doors and windows open during hot summer days, but this allows would-be burglars to enter your home with zero difficulty. In fact, many break-ins are through an unlocked door. The easiest way to stop them is to simply keep your doors locked all year long.
Make it appear you’re home
Before choosing a target, thieves will often observe homes during the day and evening to see if anyone is around. Even if you’re away, make it seem as if someone is there. Leave a car in the driveway, use timers to turn on lights, TV or radios, put a vacation stop on your newspaper subscription and keep your yard clean.
Create natural defenses
If you’re landscaping this year, consider ways to work in natural defenses for your home. This can include thorny bushes under windows, fences with locking gates, yard lighting, and much more. Think like a burglar and strengthen any weak spots. If your home looks like it’s a hard target, a burglar is more likely to move on.
Padlock any valuable or vulnerable items
If there are any rooms, closets or containers in your home that hold valuable items, be extra cautious by locking them with a heavy-duty padlock or in a safe secured to the floor. If a burglar does manage to enter your home, this extra step can deter him or her from spending more time inside your house and help prevent further loss. To make everything easier, Weiser’s SmartKey Padlock uses the same key as your SmartKey front door lockset, so that you don’t have to be stuck with dozens of different keys.
New lockset to ease worries
Whether you’ve just moved into a new house or have been living there for several years, installing a new lockset is one way to ensure no unwelcome people have a key to your home. A Weiser SmartCode keyless entry system or a Weiser Smartkey, which lets you easily rekey your lock anytime, allows you to control who enters your home and when.
Ask a neighbour to check in
If you’re leaving for summer vacation, notify a trusted neighbour and ask them to keep a watch on your home. For extended periods, ask them to check your mail, cut your lawn and even check on the inside of your home. Weiser’s Kevo lockset makes it easy to grant access to friends, family and neighbours, as it uses Bluetooth technology that allows you to authorize smartphones to act as the key, while also being able to quickly de-authorize them.
