Burglaries During The Winter Season
Studies indicate that household burglaries are slightly more frequent in the summer than in the winter. Despite this, burglaries still occur during the winter. There are still 1.4 million burglaries in the United States each year, so following winter home security tips is critical.
There are a variety of reasons why burglars may prefer winter to other times of year, including:
- When people travel during the holiday season and head to warmer climates during the later part of winter, their homes often remain empty, leaving them more vulnerable.
- Daylight hours are decreasing. Robbers are not interested in being seen. Since winter has fewer daylight hours than summer, there is more opportunity for criminal activity after sundown.
- Cars are left unattended more often. It’s common to let your vehicle warm up when it’s cold. The problem is an unattended, running car invites crime.
- Home delivery of packages is at its peak. Every year, more than 800 million packages are delivered to homes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In turn, the number of porch pirates rise.
Make Your Home More Secure This Winter
Taking Care of Your Home’s Exterior
When winter arrives, it’s crucial to maintain the exterior of your home, especially if you plan to travel. Identifying unoccupied homes is one of a burglar’s key skills. Unoccupied homes show the following signs:
- A snow or leaf-covered driveway and walkway.
- Mail and packages piled up.
- There is no activity or lights on.
Be sure to keep your house looking occupied when you leave for extended periods of time in the winter. Prepare your driveway to be cleaned and arrange for your mail to be collected.
Take security a step further and meet with a local company to discuss home security package options and various home security services.
Home Security Package Essentials
Below are some essential features you may want to consider.
Smart Doorbells
Using a smart doorbell, you can watch the world pass by your home or anyone approaching your front door live. Also, video is recorded to document any suspicious activity that may occur on the street in front of your house, which may help the police investigate any crime in your neighborhood. They’re “smart” because you can view the live feeds from a mobile device like your smartphone even when you’re on the go. You can also talk to someone at your door remotely with its two-way communication feature.
Smart Door Locks
Smart door locks can also be controlled from your smartphone or your home’s control, so ensuring everything is secure before bed or leaving for your winter holiday is a breeze. Smart doorbells combined with smart door features can be used to identify who’s at the door, speak with them, and unlock the door remotely so packages won’t sit out on your steps waiting for porch pirates. In addition, this is a convenient way to let service people in without having to take time off. You can relock the door after the visitor has left.
Sensors for Windows and Doors
Also part of a home security package, sensors can be utilized on windows, doors, gates, your garage door, or anything else that can be an entry point to your property. They are comprised of two contacts that trigger an alarm to sound when separated by a window or door opening. Another kind of sensor can detect a broken window or unwelcome movement in your house (motion sensors).
Video Cameras
In order to provide 24-hour surveillance of your home, video cameras can be placed inside and outside. In real-time, you can view the video recorded by your cameras if unrecognized motion is detected. By doing so, you can determine whether an animal has wandered onto your property accidentally or whether there is a serious security concern.
Additional Smart Features
Lighting, thermostats, and smart locks can also be connected to your security system. At the touch of a button, you can turn off the lights, change the temperature, and lock the doors when you’re going to sleep or leaving for ski vacation. Home control panels, smartphones, tablets, or voice-activated assistants can all be used to activate these features.
Monitoring Service
A superior home security service is 24/7 monitoring by an offsite company. Alarms can be triggered, and professionals can be notified of fire, smoke, or water damage. Once they have verified that the event is genuine or just a harmless accident, they can alert the appropriate authorities so emergency services can be dispatched promptly.
We Are Here To Help
We can help provide state-of-the-art and convenient in-home security package offerings and home security services. Call Johns Brothers Security today to speak with an expert! You can customize your security solutions, whether smart sensors, cameras, locks, or lighting, according to your needs. Get a free home security analysis by calling 1-800-242-9760 today!