Most of us love to travel and if you’re like me, any opportunity that I have to get away for a few days or weeks is welcome! Whether it’s camping in the great outdoors and spending my days in a comfy hammock or seeing the sites in a new city, travel is always welcome. The downside to being away from home is that if left unattended, our homes are susceptible a great many things including burglary and break-ins, with a high percentage of burglaries occuring during holidays such as Spring Break.
But according to Ooma (ooma.com/home-security/) ~a leading DIY home phone and security company ~there are 6 basic inexpensive steps homeowners can take to deter and react to break-ins.
MIND THE FRONT DOOR
34% of break-ins occur at the front door. Install a smart doorbell that routes to your phone, and use tools like two-way speakers to give visitors the impression someone is home. Also install video cameras and view visitors on your phone, no matter where you are.
WHEN A DOOR CLOSES, MAKE SURE A WINDOW DOESN’T OPEN
23% of break-ins occur through first-floor windows. Use classic sash locks to keep windows locked, and install wireless motion sensors to be alerted if a window is raised.
CHECK YOUR A/C
A popular burglary entry point: pushing in a window A/C unit. Install motion sensors near window A/C units, and consider uninstalling window A/C units if you’re leaving town.
CALL 911 REMOTELY
Knowing someone is breaking into your house doesn’t help if you’re on a beach several hours away—unless you have a way to call 911 to your home’s local emergency dispatchers with a feature such as Ooma’s Remote 911.
BEWARE OF SLIDING DOORS
Sliding doors are another popular entry point, as the locks are generally easy to pick. Install physical barrier bars in the tracks, and set up motion detectors in the vicinity.
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
Integrate light timers or smart lights that you can control with your phone to make your home look lived-in and deter break-ins.
Ooma Home is the most affordable DIY smart home security system and integrates remote 911 calling, a home monitoring app, and smart security cameras.