If you are fortunate to have a place to get away at the end of the week or for a few weeks in summer, you likely want to spend as much time as possible there.
However, you do have to go back to your year-round home at some point. And when that moment comes, it’s essential to make sure your second property is shielded against trespassing, vandalism and burglary.
So how can you protect your holiday home all year long? Start by considering these preventive measures.
1. Install Security Cameras to Protect Your Holiday Home
One of the best ways to keep an eye on your property even when you are miles away is to invest in a monitored security system.
There is a broad range of security camera systems to choose from nowadays, so it should be relatively easy to find one to fit your needs.
Some CCTV systems even offer homeowners the ability to check up on their properties in real-time using a dedicated app on their smartphones, tablets or PCs.
This means you can keep track of what’s going on at your holiday property whenever you want, whether you are at home or away.
2. Consider a Holiday Home Alarm System
Alarms are an excellent visual hindrance to stop burglars from targeting a home.
In fact, recent statistics have shown 60% of burglars would be discouraged from attempting to enter a property if they notice there was an alarm system in place.
What’s more, with a monitored alarm system, you will be alerted about any issues as soon as they occur and take further actions.
3. Don’t Leave Any Spare Keys on the Property
The absolute worst thing you could do is hide a set of spare keys outside the home, in places like under the door mat, up on the door frame, in hanging baskets or under plant pods.
Burglars know where to look, so take all spare keys with you and keep them in a safe place at your main residence to protect your holiday home.
If you do want to let friends, neighbours or a cleaning person in when you are away, technology provides several electronic options for these types of situations, as well.
For instance, you could have a Yale smart lock installed. This gives you full control when it comes to whom and when people have access to your property.
If you need to, you can set a PIN code which only works for 24 hours for the person you want to grant permission into your home.
4. Burglar-proof Your Doors and Windows
Doors and windows are the main entryways burglars use when breaking into a property.
This means they are the first two things you should think about when it comes to making your holiday home more secure.
- Doors. To ensure a superior level of security, we recommend you have a 3 level locking system installed on the external doors. This will discourage burglars and protect your holiday home.
- Windows. All windows should be tightly locked at all times. Also, use curtains or blinds to prevent prying eyes from looking in, especially if your second home is well-furnished or if you keep electronics there year-round.
Don’t forget to secure all entries to adjacent buildings on your property, as well (tool shed, kitchenette, garage, boathouse or storage lockers).
Need a Locksmith?
Many of the preventive measures included in this article will require the work and expertise of a locksmith.
If you are planning to increase the security of your holiday home shortly and gain peace of mind, we encourage you to take a look at the locksmith services we offer and see how we can help.
