5 Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe While Your Kids are at School
It is surprisingly easy for potential burglars to figure out your daily routine, especially during the school year. You leave at 7:30 a.m. to take your kids to school, then return at about 9:30 a.m. after running errands. Then you leave again at about 2 p.m. to pick them up and take them to sports practices or after school activities. All it takes is watching your home for a few days and anyone could capitalize on even just ten minutes of your scheduled time away. Advanced Lock & Security is here to help you keep your home secure with our 5 tips for keeping your home safe while your kids are at school.
1. Always set your alarm system. Even if you have an alarm system, if someone has been watching you closely as you come and go from your home, they’ll probably be able to tell when you don’t set your alarm. The one day you don’t set your alarm could be the day a burglar enters your home, so make sure you always turn it on, even for the shortest trips.
2. Upgrade your locks. Old locks are surprisingly ineffective. Older strike plates often have two very short screws that are easy to dislodge with a simple kick. Upgrading your strike plates to more durable strike plates with four 3-inch screws can go a long way. Also, many locks are now more tamper resistant and generally stronger. Couple new locks with a solid core or metal door and it will be much harder for burglars to break into your home, so they are more likely to move on to something else.
3. Use your carpool. Plan to carpool with a neighbor so one of you can always be home to watch the other’s house. If you can, take it even further and don’t plan specific days for each carpool. That way your schedule will be irregular and it will be harder for potential burglars to plan an unauthorized entry to you or your neighbor’s home. Trusted neighbors are one of the greatest assets you have in protecting your home, so get to know them well.
4. Unhide your house keys. If you have a house key hidden under a rock, in a planter, or elsewhere, burglars know it’s there, especially if they’ve seen a neighbor use it. Hiding your house key outside your home is basically an invitation for someone to just walk in and take anything they want. If you need someone to have a key, give it to your trusted neighbor or a family member, but never leave a key outside.
5. Close all doors and windows, even if you’ll only be gone for ten minutes. Burglars can grab a lot of stuff in ten minutes, especially if they can just walk into an open door or climb through a lower level window. So make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked before you leave your home, even if it’s just for a school drop-off or pick-up.
Advanced Lock & Security is here for you when you need any help or advice about keeping your home safe, even just for a few minutes while you run your kids to school. If you ever have questions, give our experts a call and we can help you secure your home, family, and valuables.
