Since spring will be here before we know it, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what jobs you want to complete around your home as the weather starts to warm up. You might be keen to plant some new flowers, for instance, or redecorate your bedroom, declutter your whole home or do some remodeling in the kitchen or bathroom.
If you’re like many people though, the onset of spring will have you keen to do a big spring clean throughout your entire property. This is a useful and satisfying thing to do, but can be even more beneficial if your spring cleaning also involves considering home security.
The warmer weather actually tends to bring out more burglars, so it’s important to be sure your property is as safe as possible. Read on for some top spring cleaning security tips you can follow over the coming weeks and months.
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Declutter Your Home
For starters, it helps to declutter your home, so you can notice potential security risks that have previously gone unnoticed inside your home (but which burglars may notice from the outside). Once you get rid of tall piles of boxes, piled-high stacks of clothes and the like, you may realize there are broken locks on windows or other access points that need to be attended to ASAP.
Install a Home Security System
Of course, one of the most popular ways people increase security is through the installation of a home security alarm system. To get something suitable for your property, contact a specialist in this area, such as these Miami home security service providers. Security systems, and the signs advertising their installation, are good thief deterrents, and in fact many convicted burglars mention that they’d steer clear of a property if they can tell it’s protected by an alarm system.
Maintain Devices
Once you have a security system installed, don’t forget to maintain it every year, so it does its job properly. Alarms, cameras and the like have to be checked for wear and tear, particularly those items located outside, which have to contend with all sorts of weather conditions. Keep an eye out for motion sensors that have worn down from the cold or are filled with dust, batteries that need to be replaced and cameras that have ended up covered by new foliage growth on trees, shrubs and hedges since they were installed.
Keep an Eye on All Locks
Another tip is to test all the locks and latches on your doors and windows throughout your home to be sure they’re all working as they should. While you would likely notice a front or back door lock that has broken or otherwise deteriorated, it’s probable that you don’t use each window on a regular basis, so issues could have arisen without you realizing. Get a locksmith in to attend to anything that needs to be addressed before burglars find the security hole and utilize it for their own means.
Do Some Gardening
To increase security on your property, you should also spend time in the garden. That is, remove or cut back densely landscaped areas in the yard, especially those close to front and back doors, so they can’t serve as hiding places for intruders. In addition, it’s wise to plant some thorny, sharp bushes and shrubs under first floor windows to keep thieves at bay. These make it trickier for people to climb into your house from low windows, and it adds more privacy and makes it harder for burglars to look in windows to see what kinds of goods you have inside.
Check Fences and Gates
If you want to stop burglars from easily entering your property, you also need to keep a close eye on fences and gates that act as boundaries. Over time, without proper maintenance these can end up with loose or worn down palings, broken locks or other issues. This spring, your security tasks should include testing each gate and maintaining fences that have gotten into a state of disrepair. Replace or fix panels that are split, loose, rusted or rotting, and make sure all latches and locks are working well.
Install Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting also helps to deter burglars from breaking into your home at night. When properties are well lit up, it’s more obvious if someone is lurking about or trying to smash windows or break doors. Install outdoor lights in the front and back of your house, near doors in particular. The motion-activated kind are especially useful. Make sure you check the bulbs in these lights as time goes on, too.
