How to keep your home safe and secure in winter
Keep intruders at bay during winter
If you’re a commercial or residential property owner, then you know the importance of keeping your property safe. Yet, many people use the same security measures during winter months. It’s not the wrong method, but you should be extra vigilant during this season. Along with some chilly weather, winter is the time that burglaries spike.
The reason is a simple one: it gets darker a lot earlier in winter, meaning there is more opportunity for intruders to strike. There are two things that will protect your home and office buildings from intruders: lighting and security cameras.
Light it up
Ample lighting will help keep intruders at bay, and, therefore, should be your priority. The porch and your yard should be well lit. Consider installing solar lighting; it’s a practical and cost-effective solution. Even if there is cloud cover, the solar lights can still run because it stores power from light not necessarily sun. Using solar lights has become the single best way to light parks, gardens, walkways, footpaths and swimming pools. Contact a local shop that specialises in security products and enquire about solar lights.
Advantages of using solar lights
- Once installed, solar lights use free energy and emit no harmful substances
- Solar continues to produce energy even on days when the sun doesn’t shine
- Minimal maintenance
- Solar panels are long lasting, up to 30 years in some cases
- Flexible – install them anywhere from buildings to streets and gardens
- Safer than running electric lights
- More attractive
Solar street lights are ideal for lining streets, roads, avenues, and lanes. They make areas safer, more attractive at night and require almost zero maintenance once installed.
There are two types of solar lights to invest in:
- Solar garden lights
Solar garden lights brighten your garden and pathway leading to your house. Solar lights need no maintenance once installed. Aside from the security advantage, they are great for summertime barbeques.
- Solar motion lights
Increase the security at your home or commercial premises with solar motion lights. These lights are long-lasting, powered by light, and require minimal maintenance. Solar motion sensor lights are also great for night-time security, especially when you are away on holiday or business.
Solar security cameras
A solar security camera system can be used in indoor or outdoor environments thanks to it being wireless. If there is not enough sun to provide power to this device, batteries can be used as a backup power supply.
The most important part of increasing your security during winter is to make sure all your current security systems are in top shape:
- For commercial buildings, inspect them and remove dead twigs, branches, and leaves. During the winter months, dry debris fall from trees and gather on the fence. This can set off false alarms.
- Shrubs and trees make for great hiding places for intruders. Make sure these areas are well lit.
- Test your alarm and security camera lenses.
- If you have time-delay switches, reset them to come on earlier as it gets dark quicker in winter.
- Make sure all your outside motion-detector lights are working so that you don’t find yourself entering a dark property.
- Call your security company out to double-check your security system.
Don’t become a statistic during winter. Keep yourself, your family and employees safe this winter.
Contact the Bollard Shop for all solar lighting and security camera products.