Spring is the best time to clean your home and make it ready for the bright, sunny days ahead. Nevertheless, more daylight and comfortable temperatures pave the way for thieves to target your home. Per a study by the U.S. Department of Justice, because homeowners spend more time away from their homes during the sultry summer days, home burglary rates increase during that time.
Therefore, even though spring cleaning focuses more on cleaning and dusting windows, mopping floors, vacuuming carpets, and so on, spring is also a good time to pay attention to the safety and security of your home. In other words, security focused spring cleaning is something you should consider to set yourself up for a safer and secure summer. In this detailed guide, we’ll discuss useful security focused spring cleaning tips to protect your home so that you can sit back and relax knowing your home is safe and secure during the sunny summer months.
4 Security Focused Spring Cleaning Tips
Home Windows Security Tips
Windows are the first area of your home that needs security as it can provide easy passage to burglars. Research shows that 30% of burglars use an unlocked door or window to enter a home. Not only this but 23% of burglars enter a home through the first floor. Therefore, ensure you follow these home windows security tips to protect your home from burglars and home invaders.
- Keep your windows locked. Simple and easy. Always keep your home windows locked. As much as possible, use dowels and security latches to lock the windows. If you have an open, freely sliding window, ensure you install a rod on the track that is used to slide the window. Also, ensure you use good-quality locks.
- Install security bars and grills. Metallic windows bars and grills can secure your home from intruders. If you don’t like the idea of installing traditional security bars and grills, you can get the decorative ones to use them as home decor. However, ensure you keep at least one window completely open and use it as an emergency exit.
- Install security cameras. Window security cameras are indeed the most useful way to protect your home from burglars and invaders. However, ensure you position them properly. Installing window security cameras behind glass windows can result in unclear and blurry images.
- Reinforce glass windows. You can secure your glass windows by reinforcing them and covering them blinds and protective films. A recent study revealed that windows with vertical blinds were 6% less vulnerable to burglary. Clear and tinted films also prevent burglars from peeking inside your home. Windows security screens made of steel can also withstand the force of knives and stones, so burglars/intruders cannot break in from the windows.
How to Do a Home Security Camera Check
Security focused spring cleaning is also the perfect time for home security camera check. An incorrectly installed or placed home security camera may not function properly or provide you with the necessary home security. Therefore, it’s important to optimize the home security camera placement for proper functioning and visibility.
Follow these instructions to check your home security camera:
- Test the home security camera and ensure it’s functioning properly. If possible, mount the camera in the intended area temporarily using a single nail and tape, and see if it is providing proper coverage and clear images. Can you see everything clearly? Is the Wi-Fi signal good to go?
- Ensure the camera is installed 8-10 feet from the ground.
- Don’t point the home security camera directly at the sun. Bright light can cause high contrast and glare in the camera’s feed. Angle the camera away from the sun. In the case of indoor cameras, be mindful of bright windows, lamps and light fixtures.
- Occasionally clean and maintain the camera. Outdoor home security cameras are highly prone to dirt and pollen accumulation on the lens. Therefore, ensure you regularly clean the lenses.
- Remove blockages in the home security camera’s view. If you find any bushes or trees that are blocking the camera’s view, trim them.
Home Security Threats Hiding in Plain Sight
In addition to following the home security measures mentioned above, it’s also important to keep a check on home security threats hiding in plain sight.
One critical aspect of home security spring cleaning should be reorganizing objects in your home to ensure they are not visible to burglars from your home windows or glass door. It’s not at all a good idea to keep your valuables on public display. When you are cleaning your garage, avoid keeping valuables outside during the cleaning process. You never know who’s stalking your valuables.
If you are planning to get rid of old items that are no longer required, avoid keeping them in the open. Especially empty video games and appliance packaging boxes can draw burglars. Ensure to unassemble the boxes and place them in garbage bags.
Home Appliance Maintenance Tips
During security focused spring cleaning, ensure you invest some time and money on home appliance maintenance, especially furnace and chimney inspections. Per the NFPA, you must get your chimney and carbon monoxide detectors cleaned at least once every year. Moreover, annual inspections of appliances can help you save a lot on your energy bills.
Follow these home appliance maintenance tips during spring cleaning to ensure your home security systems are up and running:
- Clean home security appliances. Cleaning the physical elements of your home security appliances can prevent potential issues.
- Test the control panel. Your home security system’s control panel is the central unit that manages and controls all the other home appliances. Most control panels these days comprise the “test” feature to diagnose potential issues.
- Check the batteries of all battery-run home appliances. Replace the batteries if required.
- Inspect all the home security cameras: During security focused spring cleaning, ensure you test each and every security camera in your home. At the time of inspection, ensure the cameras are not vandalized and are functioning properly. All check the feed quality.
- Assess the security lights. Ensure you carefully examine the security lights installed in your backyard, driveway and other entry areas. Security lights not only keep intruders away but also provide your home with safe entry/exit.
- Hire professionals for the chimney, furnace, smoke detector, and carbon monoxide detector inspections. They know how to do the job best. DIY inspections are not recommended. Hiring professionals can help a great deal in ensuring that each and every aspect of your home security system works as expected. Moreover, it will also save you time and effort.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 35 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions, and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
