by Robert Fox
Taking necessary precautions to increase the safety in and around your home is always a good idea, especially in winter.
Generally, this period of the year is connected to higher burglary rates and home accidents than any other season. This might be the case as the days gets shorter and the cold dark nights longer, which means burglars have more opportunities to attempt breaking into people's homes.
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The longer dark periods of the day and the majority avoiding going outside on the cold weather, increases the chances of them not being spotted when doing their "job".
By understanding the risks and taking the proper measures explained below, you will ensure your home and family stay safe during this winter.
Clear snow and ice from your walkway to tell any potential burglar that there's someone in your house. Also, make your driveway is plowed to discourage any burglar who will look for a deserted house - something for which an unplowed driveway will surely indicate.
Turning your car on and waiting for it to warm up inside your warm home might be tempting, but also very risky. Even if it takes for just 5 minutes, it'll be long enough for a car thieve to do his work.
You never know if someone has noticed your morning routine of leaving your car open for several minutes. Don't risk, and be patient waiting for your car to heat up. You can keep a hat and a pair of gloves in the glove compartments, and use them during these few cold minutes.
Test your outdoor cameras, motion sensors, or security lighting on a daily basis to make sure the low temperature and harsh weather conditions haven't destroyed or damaged any of your outdoor equipment. Don't let you notice something's wrong when it's too late.
Although burglars can find any part of your house as a potential entry, believe it or not, doors are the number one entry point they use to intrude. In fact, burglars break in homes through the front door in 72 % of the cases, 15 % of which put no effort at all as the door is opened.
Therefore, double check if every door and window in your home is locked when going outside. This tip is useful for any season of the year.
When going outside, make sure you leave some lights on. Prefer turning the lights on in the main room(s), instead of the hallway. Another useful tip would be to leave your radio on and tune it into some talk radio station. In this way thieves, will think twice before breaking in home where they hear voices, and see lights turned on. Once again, you can practice this tip in any season of the year!
We hope these few facts and simple tips will encourage you take proper measures to further increase the security of your home and everyone in it.
About Robert Fox
Rob Fox is a former hydro worker who used to teach self defence in Miami for 10 years. He's currently enjoying his retirement, playing cribbage and golf with his buddies, locksmithing and home security in his spare time. Rob is an avid reader, and has even written a few books on the subject of self defence.
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