Festive Season Home Security Tips

With the holiday season fast approaching, we are left with many decisions and preparations to make before packing the trailers and make our way to our holiday destination. Ensuring the safety of family and property is a key priority for the moment.
Statistics clearly show that increases in criminal activity during the holiday season and it is therefore imperative that homeowners take precautions and remain vigilant.
There are several tips to keep in mind that can help mitigate the risk to the family and property. The first and most important is ensuring that your alarm is operating. People tend to forget that an alarm system, like a car, has parts that age and wear and must be maintained at least once a year.
Spectacular thunderstorms during the summer months, can also wreak havoc on alarm systems. After this, clients should regularly review their systems in case of damage by lightning. Homeowners who have house insurance should also consider that, if stolen, your insurance company, in all probability, the question of whether they have retained their alarm.
December is traditionally a busy period for security companies, so homeowners should try to test your alarms at least three weeks before going on vacation. The test should be done anytime (ideally between 0800 and 2000 hours Monday to Friday) and if a fault is discovered, can be reported immediately to the service provider of security equipment.
Safety Tips to follow are:

1. Notify your security company if you go and make sure you provide all necessary information on emergency contacts, nearby in case of emergency
2. Inform your neighbors of your vacation plans so they can keep an eye on your property
3. Stop all newspaper deliveries and ask a friend or neighbor collect your mail. A package position is a true gift box you’re not home
4. If hiring a guard house, make sure to teach them how to properly use the alarm
5. Check you have locked and secured all windows and doors before leaving home
6. Make sure all exterior doors are a minimum of four lever locks or double cylinder locks for security
7. Never leave a number in an exterior door that has glass panels or glass near the lock
8. After you have installed security doors exterior doors is a very effective measure of security that gives an additional line of defense
9. Sliding doors can be secured simply by placing a piece of wood cut to size in the slide rail. Make sure that sliding doors can be lifted vertically
10. Text fences and gates are a good deterrent robust
11. Have good exterior lighting, preferably on a timer
12. Do not leave ladders, spades or tools outside, because you can use to enter your home
13. Signage clearly indicating that you have security also helps to discourage

Thieves
Another Security Council is important to be discreet when preparing to leave. People should where possible pack their cars in his garage. Owners should never leave a message on his answering machine stating they are out of town.
The holiday season should be a moment of relaxation and giving, but we will ensure it does not do our jobs to offenders on a platter of gold.