Summer is here and that means it is primetime for home burglaries. FBI reports that 1 in every 36 homes is broken into every year, with an average of $2300 stolen. So how do you keep your home safe while you are on the road? Gray Transportation has some easy tips on how to make sure all of your things are still in place when you come back from a long trip.
- Secure all entrances
Most burglars enter the house through the front door, so making sure it is unbreachable is key. Fasten all windows and if you have sliding doors leading to the back yard, leave a pole or a nail in the track to prevent it from being open by force. In case your front doors have decorative glass, check if the security alarm is not visible from outside. That way burglars won’t be able to see if your alarm is on or off.
- Check what’s under your windows
Planting roses is a good long-term way to prevent burglaries. Thorny shrubs such as rosebushes under your ground-floor windows will not only add beauty to your house, but also deter burglars. If you have a two-story house, don’t store firewood on the side of the house, as it can serve as a ladder to the upper windows.
- Make the house look alive
No one except for you needs to know the house is in fact empty. Cancel the newspaper subscription to avoid it piling up at your doorstep. Set up timers to turn on lights, to give the impression that someone is home. Go the extra mile and put your radio on timer or simply leave it on during your entire absence. No one has a perfectly silent house and neither should you.
Burglaries aren’t the only thing that can happen to your home if you’re gone for an extended period of time. Here are some tips on what to check in order to avoid any accidents:
- Unplug unnecessary appliances
No one will be using the microwave or the TV while you are gone, so why keep them plugged in? Unplugging them takes only a few extra seconds and can save you from an electrical malfunction that can start a fire.
- Turn off the water
The water hose attached to the washing machine can often leak water when unused for a long period of time. To avoid flooding, just turn the valve off.
Gray Transportation wants to keep you on comfortable the road while traveling, and we know the importance of coming back to a safe home.