Summer Home Security Tips: Protect Your Burlington Home on Vacation
Summer changes the rhythm of a household. Families head to the cottage, enjoy long weekends away, and travel together, or in some cases, only part of the family travels, leaving other members at home alone. Families may also change their habits, leaving windows open, allowing fresh air into the home. Generally, from the second week of July through mid-August, more people are away than at any other time of year, and we see this reflected in the calls we get from homeowners wanting their security systems checked before they leave.
The reality is that we live in a relatively safe part of the country, and that comfort can make us less watchful, less aware, unconsciously vulnerable to a criminal element. That criminal element can be more organized, more discreet, and may look different from what we expect. For instance, how many times have you heard someone say “They walked through our neighbourhood checking vehicle doors to see if they were locked”? How many times have you heard, “We live on a ravine lot, and someone came through our backyard”? Or maybe even, “There was a car on the street for hours, and when we approached it, they took off.”
Again, the criminal element may look different. This isn't cause for panic. It's a reason to prepare and review lifestyle habits. Since most break-ins are crimes of opportunity, we focus on strategies that remove that opportunity.
What Your Home Is Telling the Street
Your property sends messages whether you mean it to or not. A stranger, and especially an organized criminal, walking past can read them in seconds. Flyers stacking up in the mailbox, a lawn nobody has cut, bins left at the curb for days, a house that stays dark for two weeks straight whisper to someone watching that nobody is home.
Some signals are less obvious. Throw a large TV box into the recycling without breaking it down, and you have told the street you just bought something worth taking. Leave the same lights on at the same time every night, and a watcher learns your pattern. Keep the extension ladder along the side of a house, and someone can quickly get into upper levels. We’ve seen it all. Nobody meant to invite trouble. They simply did not think about it.
Social media and online directories deserve their own mention. A vacation countdown or a photo from the airport is an open announcement that your home is empty. Funerals carry the same risk. A service at two o'clock on a Saturday tells anyone paying attention that the family home is sitting empty for a few hours.
🏠 Home Tip:
If you know you’re going on vacation or have a publicly posted event you’re going to, ask someone to stay in or check in on your house regularly. Suggest they do this at different times, so there is no pattern to the actions.
How Local Crime Has Changed
The kinds of crime we see around Burlington have shifted, and it helps to know what is happening. Some groups have grown more organized than people expect. They use apps to recruit young offenders for quick jobs, often in and out of a property in minutes. We have seen thieves smash glass to reach an interior lock, highlighting the importance of early detection from a glass breakage detector.
Vehicle theft has been a big one. If you can, park your car in the garage and lock it. Keep your key fob in a small metal box inside the house. Your car senses the fob through a wireless signal, and a metal box makes that signal much harder to copy from your driveway.
There is no single silver bullet that stops or prevents a criminal incident. Good security protection is a series of layers. Things like: electronic security, strong hardware, encrypted wireless devices, to name a few. More specifically, early detection with external video surveillance; early detection with glass breakage detection and perimeter detection. Reinforcing doors, deadbolts, and adding security hardware on sliding doors and windows. Smart security internal and external lighting. Strong network security. Burglary and Fire Safes are a great tool to keep valuables secure. Ensure they are hidden and secured to the home. All of those layers are important, and they don’t have to be complicated.
For a little more specific information about our electronic security solution, video surveillance is a straightforward security tool to provide early detection. Leverage the video surveillance system's analytics for line crossing. Leverage the intrusion alarm system's perimeter detectors, such as glass breakage detection and door/window contacts, to provide quick detection and notifications. It is all about layers.
🏠 Home Tip: Do the 10-Minute Walk-Around
Walk your property from the sidewalk the way a stranger would. Can you see valuables through the front windows? Does every door and window actually lock? Put a few lights and a radio or TV on timers. Video doorbell cameras, or outdoor cameras on the driveway, let you watch the entry points from your phone. Trim any bushes or trees that block the view of your front door, then pause your deliveries or ask a neighbour to collect them if you’re headed out of town. Ten minutes now saves a lot of worry later.
The Summer Risks That Aren't Burglars
A home security system does more than watch for intruders. Some of the worst summer damage we see has nothing to do with a break-in at all.
Heavy summer storms can overwhelm a sump pump, and a sewer backup can flood a basement in hours. Water sensors will catch rising water early and send you an alert. The detectors won't stop the water, so you still want a plan for what to do when the water alert comes in.
Empty cottages and/or second homes carry all of these risks at once: water damage, low temperatures, storm outages, and loss of power. At a cottage or secondary home, monitored intrusion alarm systems and video surveillance systems can provide real time information. Systems typically have standby power to ensure signals get out to the monitoring station. Having real time information allows you to make good decisions when it matters.
☀️ Seasonal Tip: Monitor the Empty House
A monitored security system with environmental sensors tells you about a burst pipe or a failed sump pump on day one, not when you pull into the driveway two weeks later. For an added layer, give a trusted neighbour a key and a separate alarm code. The home alarm systems track each code, so you always know who checked in and when.
A Local Partner, Not a Long-Term Contract
Good security is built around your home and your risk, not sold from a script. We take the time to walk your property, find the most important spots for a home security camera, for an intrusion detector, and design a home security system with layers that fit how you live.
After 37 years protecting homes across Burlington and Halton, we have learned that people stay with us for their home security because they are looked after. We do not push three to five year term contracts. If we are doing our job, you will want to stay.
Heading away this summer? Let's talk. We will help you protect what matters and enjoy the season with peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do burglars pick which homes to target in the summer?
Most summer break-ins are crimes of opportunity, so thieves look for homes that appear empty and easy to reach. Flyers piling up, an uncut lawn, bins left at the curb, a dark house, or a TV box left unbroken in the recycling all signal that no one is home. Homes on corner lots, near a highway, or backing onto green space are more exposed, since they offer quick ways in and out.
Should I post vacation photos on social media when I'm away?
Ideally, wait until you are home to post. A vacation countdown or an airport photo announces that your house is empty. The same goes for events like funerals, when a home can sit empty at a known time. A good habit is to ask someone to keep an eye on the place while you are gone and to make sure your call list for your home security systems is up to date.
Can a home security system help with water damage or a failed sump pump?
Yes. Water sensors catch rising water from a failing sump pump or a sewer backup and send an alert to your phone. They will not stop the water, so you still need someone ready to respond. Low-temperature and freeze detection are available too, which matter most in our cold months.
Do I need a long-term contract for alarm monitoring?
No. We do not push three to five year lock-ins. After 37 years in Burlington and Halton, we have found that people stay with us for their security camera systems because they are looked after, not because paperwork traps them.
What is the single most important thing to do before leaving for vacation?
Have someone look in on the house, and keep your monitoring call list up to date. Give a trusted neighbour a key and their own alarm code, which the system tracks, so you always know who checked in. It helps if they also know practical things, like how to shut off the water if a pipe bursts.
Why is cellular monitoring more reliable than internet-based monitoring?
Cellular does not depend on your home internet, which often goes down for maintenance around two or three in the morning. Our experience is that there is higher reliability with the cellular communicator.
A1 Security Systems is a security solutions provider that works with business owners who want to protect their property and their people. We ensure their security 24/7 so they feel safe and comforted in the knowledge that our dedicated security team has got their back. Unlike our competitors we don’t force our clients into long term contracts, and we can handle complex security requirements throughout Canada. Read more about our services on https://www.a1securitysystems.ca/
