It’s summer: time to relax, to take a break. But what’s that sound? If you’re concerned about summer hazards to your property while you’re at home or on vacation, you need to get your security sorted out. Make sure that you can truly enjoy yourself this summer by preparing your home and garden.

Get Ready for Your Vacation 

Is it time for your summer vacation? Get ready to really relax by increasing your home security this summer. You can: 

• Make sure your insurance is still valid when you’re away in case your policy has a clause about how long you’re away from home. Ask to see how often someone needs to check your home while you are away.
• Check in with your security company if you have a security system to make sure everything is working properly and that whoever is checking your home will be notified if there is a problem.
• Trim your plants and mow your lawn. When it looks like someone is home, thieves are less likely to try and break in. 
• Put away items that reveal that you’re not at home. If you’re not taking the car, put it in the garage. If you are going away, ask someone to pick up your packages and newspapers.
• Put some of your lights on timers so that it looks like people are home. 
• Consider moving any particularly precious valuables to a safe or deposit box while you are away.
• Make sure that someone is looking after your home. Move any hidden keys to that person instead of keeping them under the doormat. 

Make Your Property Fire Safe 

How can you make sure that your home is safe from one of the worst summer hazards: house fires and wildfires?

• Ensure that all of your smoke alarms are working.
• Turn the gas off and unplug appliances if you’re going away on vacation.
• Make sure that the area around barbeques and fire pits is safe from flammable material and that you have a fire extinguisher handy.
• Add rock walls, patios, and other brick and rockwork to make your home more fire safe.
• If you’re adding plants, add plants that resist fire. For instance, instead of adding pitch-filled conifers to your garden, add deciduous trees instead.
• Pay attention to shiny objects in your yard. If you have metal or glass objects in your garden, you could be placing yourself at risk during the summer sun and heat. According to Science Focus, “Fishbowls, jam-jars and even glass door-knobs have been implicated in focusing the sun’s rays sufficiently to cause smoldering, followed by a full-scale blaze.” As you clean the garden before the summer, be aware of all of the items you have that could be a problem during a dry summer, and tuck them away or ensure that there are no flammable items nearby.
• All of those piles of old leaves, chopped brush from your spring cleaning, and even the leaves that have accumulated in your gutters can pose a fire hazard. Clean up your property before it gets warm so that you don’t need to worry about brush fires.

Are you trying to keep your home safe? Installing a gutter guard will help keep you safe from water damage and falls throughout the year. Talk with Harry Helmet and schedule a free estimate today.

Written by Del Thebaud