Vacation homes experience a high degree of burglaries and break-ins, as they are often assumed to carry a large amount of valuables while its occupants might be out of the house engaged in vacation activities. In this blog entry, the Albuquerque residential security and lock installation experts here at 505 Locksmith Albuquerque will detail the top ways you can upgrade the security at your vacation home.
Home Security Assessment
The very first tactic for improving your home security is to assess the level of risk to your property. You want to understand each threat to your property, and how your property may be vulnerable to these threats. If you’re concerned about break-ins, analyze the security of your front, back, and side doors – and analyze your exterior locks. When it comes to vacation homes, access control is one of the most vital aspects of security. Guests may be given temporary access to your property, and these access credentials need to be revoked and then changed after every visit. 505 Locksmith can fully assess the security infrastructure of your vacation home, and recommend the best ways you can improve your security.
Door Lock Maintenance
People often forget to make sure that their vacation homes receive security maintenance. The changing weather of the seasons, and the extreme weather in Late Summer and Winter can cause wood to expand and contract in doors and windows – which in turn can make it harder to operate locks (a significant security issue.) Regular use of locks over the years, with all the associated wear and tear, can cause serious lock issues – ranging from bending, warping, grinding, sticking, and much more. Even such simple issues as rust and a lack of lubrication can significantly impact the security of your vacation property.
Door, Lock, Access Control, and Alarm Upgrades
One of the best ways you can improve the security of your vacation home is to upgrade and replace your existing exterior door and window locks with high-security, ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt locks. We recommend that all hollow core exterior doors are replaced with steel solid core doors. It’s a great idea to install a smart access control system, complete with audio/video controls and the ability to operate via smartphone Bluetooth or WiFi connection. We recommend installation of exterior motion detector lights, CCTV cameras, and an alarm system fully wired into your access control system for maximum convenience and security. By following the above tactics, you can greatly strengthen the security and safety of your vacation property.