Studies have shown that crime spikes during the summer months, in particular home burglaries. The warmer weather encourages people to spend more time outside and away from their homes, it’s also school holiday time, meaning families head away and leave their homes unoccupied for longer periods of time, providing more opportunities to thieves to strike. At Nu Style Shutters, we are the leading suppliers of quality outdoor blinds and roller shutters, with years of experience making Perth homes and businesses safer and more comfortable all year round. With summer almost here, it’s an ideal time to evaluate your home security, and put appropriate security measures in place before the festive season kicks off.
Lock Your Doors and Windows
While it’s nice to open windows and doors to let the warm air flow through your home, don’t become complacent – make sure you close and lock all doors and windows whenever you leave your home, day or night. The perception by potential thieves is that the festive season and warmer weather lowers the chance of vigilance around home security, and open windows an open invitation for opportunistic burglars.
Invest in High Quality Security Features
It might be tempting to install fake security cameras as a visual deterrent, yet experienced thieves can easily spot a fake and it won’t be an effective preventative measure. It pays to spend the extra money to install the real deal, this goes for installing locks, roller shutters and security screens on doors and windows as well. Cheaper, inferior products are made from poor quality materials can often be easily broken or forced open, providing little resistance to an experienced thief.
Strengthen The Barriers at Your Home’s Entry Points
External doors should be strong, and doorframes should be made of equally strong material, and each door must fit its frame securely. Even if you have the highest quality locks, if your doors are weak doors, it will do little to keep out a determined burglar. Windows should be fitted with key locks, and double-hung windows can also be secured by pinning the upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the inside. For extra peace of mind, consider installing metal roller shutters for iron-clad protection.
Consider Smart Home Features
You don’t need to have a high-tech home alarm system to make your home safer, a Smart Home system can keep your house just as secure. Using your smart phone or other device in conjunction with a home hub, you can control lights, televisions, and even blinds remotely to make it look like you are home. You can even answer your doorbell with a video chat by installing a Smart Home doorbell. Nu Style roller shutters can also be controlled via an app on your device so you can open and close them whenever you like, from wherever you are.
Remove Hidden Keys While You’re On Holidays
Over one-third of burglars enter a home through the front door, and they often use the homeowners own key that is “hidden” somewhere around the house. Even if your hiding spot doesn’t seem obvious, experienced thieves know exactly where people hide a key and will find it in no time. If you are leaving your home for a holiday or prolonged period of time, remove any hidden keys when you go. If you need to leave a key for a house sitter or maintenance person, leave one with a trusted friend who lives nearby or a neighbour. When you’re out enjoying the warm summer weather, the last thing you want is to worry about what’s happening at home, luckily there are a few easy and affordable measures that can maximise your home security. For the ultimate home protection, consider installing Nu Style roller shutters today. Get in touch with our team on 1300 798 776 or get a free quote online now.