Fall is in full swing, bringing changing leaves, colder temperatures, and growing anticipation for the coming holidays.
As we settle into autumn, now is a great time to review your home’s security. Your safety needs shift with the seasons. You may need to change your approach to maintain your home’s protection and prevent vulnerabilities.
These tips will help you secure your home so you can enjoy all of the fun and festivities fall has to offer.
Install home security cameras
Security cameras detect and capture unexpected threats, such as someone lurking outside your home. But that’s not all they can do.
Fall also means a return to school. Your kids may be leaving and returning to an empty house, increasing the chances that they’ll experience an emergency or threat. Even if you can’t be home to keep an eye on them, you can install cameras that do the job for you.
A doorbell camera, for instance, will alert you every time someone walks past the device. You’ll get a notification when your child leaves the house and another when they return. These alerts help you stay up to date on their activity, increasing your peace of mind.
Additionally, you can use video doorbells or indoor cameras to automate these videos. Schedule the camera to record a video when your students are supposed to leave and/or arrive. You can then access the saved or live videos to get visual confirmation that your kids are safe.
Light your home on a regular schedule
Fall doesn’t just bring cooler temperatures. It also features shorter days and longer nights. As the sun sets earlier, you should adjust your lighting schedule to keep your house well-lit.
Burglars look for homes that seem unoccupied. If you don’t have any lights on inside, especially if your outdoor lights are dark as well, your home becomes a more attractive target.
Unfortunately, lighting your home can be difficult, especially after Daylight Savings ends. To fix this problem, consider installing smart lights. You can create a schedule to ensure your lights come on before dark. Remote access allows you to control your lights through your phone as well.
Alternatively, you can install a timer to put your current lights on a schedule. Motion-activated lighting is another option. These devices minimize your energy usage while ensuring that your lights will come on if someone approaches your home.
Close and lock your doors and windows
In many states, fall means a welcome break from summer’s heat. As cool breezes move through, you may feel tempted to keep your doors and windows open to enjoy the weather. Your home won’t be as safe if you do, however.
Open doors and windows invite burglars and intruders to target your home. They see that they can move in and out quickly while taking the opportunity to grab what they want before the police can respond.
Worse still, your door and window sensors won’t work, meaning your home security system won’t be armed either. You may be robbed before you even know that someone has entered your home.
Keep your house and family protected by closing and locking your doors and windows at all times.
Don’t share holiday and travel plans
Fall brings the start of the holiday season. There are many opportunities to travel, either to see loved ones or on vacation. As you enjoy these trips, just be sure to keep the details off of social media.
You never know who is viewing your social media updates. A burglar may decide to target your home while you’re away if they see news about your trip online. Protect yourself and your belongings by keeping your schedule private.
Keep up with your landscaping
Unraked leaves, scraggly bushes, and piles of soggy newspapers make your home look unoccupied. Additionally, lurkers can use overgrown foliage to hide as they peek into your windows. They may also use large branches to access your home through the roof or second-story windows.
Maintain your home’s exterior to make it a less attractive target. Pick up your newspapers and mail regularly. Adding yard signs from your home security provider is another great way to scare burglars away.
Hide valuables
At the same time, dying foliage exposes more of your home. Make sure your valuables can’t be seen from the street or even from your yard. Burglars often “window shop” to find homes with the items they want to steal. Keeping your valuables away from windows will decrease your risk of theft.
Practice fire safety
Fall temperatures often drop too low for comfort. Before running the heater or lighting the fireplace to warm your home, take a moment to prepare your equipment.
Service and clean your furnace to prevent fire hazards. Open your fireplace vent and check for blockages before lighting a fire. Poor ventilation can cause a build-up of carbon monoxide. Your family can get CO poisoning if too much gas backups into your home.
Smoke and CO alarms will monitor these dangers as well. Test your devices and replace the batteries for reliable protection. A fire extinguisher and fire escape plan are also important to keep on hand.
Finally, never leave a fire unattended. Whether you have a fire in the fireplace or a lit candle on the shelf, only leave it burning if you’re in the same room.
Install flood sensors
In extreme temperatures, your pipes can freeze and burst. If you don’t catch the problem quickly, a leak can cause hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars in damages.
Protect your home with smart flood sensors, often available with a home security system. These devices will tell you when your home has a leak. You can then work quickly to resolve the problem.
With a smart thermostat, which can also integrate with your security system, you will always know if your home’s temperature has dropped to dangerous levels. You can fix the issue before any pipes freeze and burst, preventing unnecessary costs and damages.
