A vacation home’s security differs significantly from that of a regular residence, as your continued absence from the premises raises security concerns. Burglars are more inclined to target unoccupied residences. Therefore high-security door locks are crucial.
You should be aware of the following points to strengthen the security of your holiday home:
Risk assessment
Whether it’s for a vacation home or your regular residence, conducting a risk assessment is the first step toward improving home security. The basic formula for this type of computation considers the most serious risks to your property while also taking into account your vulnerability to each one.
If you’re concerned about break-ins and know that the majority of criminals enter through the front or back door, you might want to invest in more security locks. And, because criminals pick locks seldom, vulnerability to picking is less of a problem because the threat isn’t as great.
One of the most essential considerations in vacation rental house security is physical access management. Guests are granted temporary access to the property, which must be withdrawn and changed quickly after each visit.
You can get professional help from a residential locksmith to make a list of your most critical dangers and your property’s specific vulnerabilities to them. Even if you already know what type of vacation home security you require, a residential locksmith can assist you in navigating the best options available.
Maintenance
Seasonal vacation homes, which may be abandoned to the ravages of the winter or summer months, require special attention. Seasonal changes can cause a wood expansion in windows and doors, as well as situations where a key won’t turn in a lock, all of which make locking locks more difficult.
Locks can be worn out over time by regular usage, but they can also be worn out by lack of use. As a result, upkeep is a vital aspect of vacation home security. The removal of corrosion and sufficient lubrication are required for basic lock maintenance.
Remember that the best door lock lubricant isn’t necessarily the same as the oil you use for other maintenance.
You could clog up your lock with the improper lubricant, forcing you to change locks the next time you visit your property.
If you rent your vacation home, having each renter use a unique key is the best method for holiday home security. When you plan for this type of maintenance, you can avoid having to replace locks by using rekeyable locks or keypad door locks.
Detection
The identification of threats, thefts, and damage informs maintenance and future risk assessments. To discover and report crimes, the most common crime prevention measures urge the creation of social networks such as a neighborhood watch.
Vacation home security can now be more comprehensive than ever before thanks to contemporary technology. WiFi door locks give you real-time updates on whether or not your doors are locked. You may also review the history of opening and closing the door to see if the house has been broken into without your awareness.
When it comes to vacation home security, the most critical aspect of detection is the response. As soon as a threat is discovered, you want someone close to react.
Make sure your vacation home surveillance system alerts the authorities or security provider.
Documentation
The fact that you can rarely respond to an active attack in real-time is a disadvantage of vacation home security. This emphasizes the importance of documenting an innocent person. Documentation is your road map to re-enforcing the security of your holiday home following an unintentional break-in.
Rather than obsessing on the finest security camera for vacation homes, think about the greatest places to install surveillance cameras. It doesn’t matter if you have the best image quality or the most accessible video storage if the camera isn’t pointing in the direction of the incident.
You’re trying to secure important stuff left unattended, much like you’re trying to avoid package theft. Surveillance technology can be used to dissuade threats, and recordings can be used to prosecute perpetrators.
Security cameras have several drawbacks, but they are particularly efficient in prosecuting parties you know, such as neighbors and renters. Installing a security camera for vacation home security benefits you considerably because these are the parties most likely to know about your house’s weaknesses.
Securing vulnerabilities
You’ll continue to find flaws in your vacation home security based on your risk assessment, desired maintenance, and what you’ve learned through your detection and documentation. As you encounter more issues, you must seek out better solutions.
If you discover that contractors or tenants are creating unauthorized keys, you can invest in trademarked keys and patented locks to deter them. If you notice that your window security is being targeted by vandalism or break-ins, you can purchase scratch and shatter-resistant sticky film.
Replacement of current outside locks with high-security door locks is a more comprehensive technique to reduce overall susceptibility. Also, make sure that outside doors and interior doors that require extra protection are solid core doors rather than hollow core doors.
No security system is flawless, but the less vulnerable you are to a threat, the less likely criminals will try to compromise the protection of your vacation property. Every time you increase the security of your vacation home, you’re sending a message to criminals that you’re not an easy target, and that’s the key to preventing crime. Try changing locks too or amending your security in a few months.
Wrapping up
For quality property protection, a vacation home security camera or a holiday home monitoring system are insufficient. These gadgets only provide a small amount of vacation home security. They’re important, but they’re not the start or finish of vacation home security.
Combine locks with this other detection and documentation technologies to increase the overall security of your holiday property. While responding to an active threat is important for crime prevention, a vacation house is typically too far away for someone else to respond.