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Most criminals aren’t discouraged by cold weather and earlier nights in winter. According to research, crime can increase in winter because homeowners don’t put much effort into enforcing security measures around this time of the year. Read on to discover these simple winter home security tips.

Make Sure Your House Has Backup Power

A power outage in winter can disrupt your entire day. Most importantly, severe winter weather can lead to life-threatening situations. For instance, extremely cold weather can increase the risk of illnesses and trigger underlying health conditions such as chronic asthma and bronchitis.

Backup power in a power outage can help you stay warm and light up essential electronics and appliances. Additionally, if you face an emergency when there’s no electricity, backup power sources such as a power bank can ensure your phone remains functional. This way, it allows you to send a silent alert or use your panic button widget from the FREE-to-use iER App to dispatch emergency personnel nationwide.

Practice Fire-Safety

When temperatures decrease, most people rely on heaters or fireplaces to keep warm. However, these heating efforts are most likely to increase the risk of fires in your home. It’s important to remind your loved ones of the potential dangers of fire during winter.

Negligence is the main concern that can lead to fires. For example, you might forget to switch off the heater or leave matches near your heating appliances. If you don’t carefully monitor them, you could risk losing lives and property.

Clean Your Yard

Constantly evaluating your home security measures can ensure you’re equipped to handle potential security challenges. As the days get shorter and nights become longer, you should stay vigilant for anyone lurking around your home. Tidying up the tools in your yard and trimming some shrubbery might be ideal for decreasing the chances of burglars hiding behind obstructive objects.

Other tips you can consider might include:

• Keeping your yard well-lit.
• Install cameras in spaces that aren’t visible.
• Include defensive plants with thorns near the exposed entry points.
• Use a reliable lock for your yard gate.

Fix Your Outdoor Lights

Reasonable security measures can help protect your home from potential harm. A house with limited lighting can become a primary target for criminal activity. Additionally, it can be challenging for neighbours to notice suspicious activity if your outdoor areas are poorly lit.

Proper outdoor lighting can improve safety and deter criminals from breaking and entering. Another benefit of fixing your outdoor lights is that it can help prevent injuries, such as your loved ones slipping and falling when they come home late in the evening. Moreover, it enables you to identify and pay attention to areas with higher risk in your yard, like your swimming pool.

Lock Your Doors and Windows

Your home’s security is essential for acting as the first defence against potential intruders and unauthorised entry. Your door locks and windows cater to your different safety needs by actively preventing breaches in winter. In most cases, you are likely to get home after dark if you commute from work, and keeping the doors and windows locked can help secure your valuables.

Research suggests that there is a significant number of burglars who gain access to homes because of mistakenly unlocked doors. To ensure that you effectively lock your doors and windows, you should consider:

• Ensuring you have a sturdy door frame that won’t splinter and give way when someone tries to kick it down.
• Having a solid locking mechanism by replacing old door and garage locks.
• Installing an extra lock system, such as a deadbolt.

Your home security measures are important to ensure you prioritise the safety of your loved ones. Many life-threatening risks can occur when you don’t put enough effort into securing your home and practising safety measures. If an intruder threatens your safety, you can send a silent alert using the FREE-to-use iER App to immediately connect to our 24/7 emergency centre, ready to send emergency personnel to your location.

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