Happy (Secured) Holidays!

Nowadays, leaving your house for a holiday can be a nerve-wracking business that entails locks, alarms, gates and security services. And even then you spend a good deal of time checking back with housesitters, neighbours and armed response as to whether what you left behind will still look the same when you get back. Truth is, there is no such thing as 100% security anywhere you go, but there are a number of things you can do to ensure you take the best care you can.

Top tips for securing your home

First, the usual stuff: you might think you know all this – but it’s amazing how many small things people forget about or overlook in the excitement of getting ready for a trip.

• First up, have you barred every window? Too many people leave one or more unbarred windows, especially if they think the windows may be too small for anyone to get through. Some burglars bring a small accomplice who can slip through the tiniest of spaces.
• Ensure you have very strong doors back and front that are not easily broken open. Double lock them both – and make sure your locks are not old or faulty in some way. Locks can prove the weakest point on a door. Make sure you have a grade 1 or grade 2 dead-bolt lock that penetrates the door frame. The strike plate—the stationary piece that the bolt enters—must be heavy duty, made of solid metal or brass, with six three-inch-long screws that penetrate the door jamb and the door frame. Check out this door lock buying guide.
• Security gates of the strongest quality should be on both back and front doors. If you have sliding doors, strong trellis security doors should be installed. Plus improve upon the built-in locks on the sliding doors as these are often small and easily broken.
• Check your perimeter fencing for areas of opportunistic entry. Make sure fencing is as high as possible and difficult to scale with either arrow heads or electric fencing installed.
• Alarm systems are vital – both inside and outside the property. Garden beams are as important as fencing and are particularly important near your points of entry. Be sure to test all systems before leaving on holiday.
• Cut back all shrubbery that is too tall and bushy as this creates hiding spots for intruders in your garden.
• Along with your garden beams, ensure you have good night security lights at each corner of your house that are timed to come on every evening. It’s also good to install motion-sensors at both front and back entries. Find more ideas for lighting here: best bulbs for outdoor uses.
• Make sure you keep any car, house keys and remotes in a secure spot inside your house, hidden in a drawer or cupboard and certainly not left lying near a window.  
• If you have a private security service you should display their signs prominently around your fencing and your house. A couple of ‘Beware of the Dog’ signs can’t go amiss either.
• Get a neighbour or friend to empty your postbox every couple of days. Nothing worst than a full postbox to alert people to the fact that you are away.
• Leave curtains and blinds open rather than closed. Closed curtains day after day are a sure sign that your house is not occupied.
• Alert your security company to the fact you will be away and make sure they have a neighbour’s or friend’s contactable number. Also a good idea to alert any neighbourhood watches that you will be away.
• And lastly, make sure your insurance is up to date.

A few steps further

• You can also install interior timers on bedroom lights or the TV – or even set up a fake TV effect which creates flickering and looks as though someone is home watching TV. Check out an interesting gadget called Fake TV.
• Always keep ladders or any useful break-in implements such as spades, hoes, tools, garden forks, etc., locked away securely in the garage. Ladders not only give intruders access to your roof but may also give the impression of workmen legitimately entering your home.
• Get a friend to housesit – or investigate reputable house-sitting agencies and choose the right person to stay in your house while you are away. They are invaluable for good security, switching on lights, looking after your animals, caring for the garden, and generally keeping the ‘lived-in’ look to your house.
• Pack your luggage into your car where you are not visible to passersby. Preferably while the car is still in the garage.
• Hire extra security guards to patrol your house.
• Safes are not always the safest place. Consider taking valuables such as jewellery or laptops to friends to keep safely for you.
• Install inside security cameras to monitor the interior. You can download various apps that will allow you to track these cameras while you are away – such as Alfred and Security which allow you to monitor your home when out of town.
• Don’t leave out boxes from any recent purchases such as a flat-screen TV or video gaming, etc.
• For doors with glass windows, you can install a protective barrier of quarter-inch Plexiglas over any existing glass. It can prevent an intruder from breaking the window and either opening the door's lock from the inside or getting into the house through the opening.

The Leapfrog Property Group

Leapfrog Property Group offers a fresh and innovative approach to buying, selling, renting and property investments, ensuring the best property deals for clients across South Africa. Armed with our combined credentials and backed by serious financial resources, we are the new face of excellence in the South African market – and we are certainly set to shake things up!

Find us at: www.leapfrog.co.za