The festive season is upon us and as we frantically try and get all our ducks in a row at work to go on a well-deserved holiday, the security of your home remains a nagging concern. While we’d all like to have positive thoughts, the reality is that crime increases by 50% over the Christmas period, according to Africa Check. This means your precious abode and processions are at risk of criminal activity while you’re away enjoying the sea and sand. If you’re lucky enough to have secured a house sitter in advance, well done. For those who are just going to brave the odds and leave your home for two or three weeks, you need to think of ways to up your home security. Here are some tips to help you ensure your home doesn’t become a target this festive season:
Try to create the illusion that there is someone in and around your home
This can be really difficult to achieve if you don’t have a neighbour or friend to go and check on your home regularly. But thankfully with home security technology at your disposal, it’s easier to make it seem as if there’s activity while you’re away. Light bulbs that automatically switch on as soon as the sun sets, will illuminate your house and create the illusion that someone is home. Use solar lights in your garden that charge during the day and switch on once it’s dark – not only will you light up your yard, but also save on electricity costs. Also ensure that you have a timer on your swimming pool pump and sprinklers to simulate activity that will discourage opportunistic criminals.
Out of sight, out of mind – cover or pack away valuables that might attract the attention of prying eyes
Criminals more often than not go for easy targets. But even though your home security might include a six-foot high wall, electric fencing and burglar bars guarding your abode, a single glance at your 60-inch curved 3D TV will attract even the most cautious of crooks. Your first port of call should be to pack away your Weber, garden accessories and patio furniture to ensure their safety, should a suspecting criminal peeks over your wall. The same goes for keeping your interior guarded from prying eyes.
Windows are the gateway into your home – covering them effectively is crucial to comprehensive home security
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when heading out on your long festive season holiday, is not properly covering your windows. Blinds and heavy curtains have for a long time been the go-to window covering, but the truth is that they do little to really create the impression that there’s no one home. Replacing them with frosted window film is the best way to protect you precious home and processions from prying eyes while you’re away during the Christmas period and the rest of the year. Frosted window film remains completely opaque during the day and at night when the lights are switched on which means no outlines of people or objects in your home are visible. What’s more, the treatment adds another layer of protection onto your glass by making it shatterproof.
Give Window Art a call today and let our team of window vinyl experts help you increase your home security this festive season. Our frosted window film product is a cost-effective glass treatment that can be installed within hours in the comfort of your own home. For more ways in which you can use our products in your home, for both security and décor purposes, download our free Home Renovations Guide.
