Summer is the best for vacationing! Schools are out, the weather is warm, and many popular vacation destinations are in their peak season. But between all of the packing and planning for your next trip, you should give some thought to how you’re going to keep your home secure while you’re away.

Summer is also a time when burglars target vacant homes, especially when it becomes apparent that a family is on vacation and won’t be returning right away. There are signs that these thieves look for in order to pick the right homes to invade, but there are things you can do to throw them off and keep your house and belongings safe while you’re on vacation.

As the top locksmith in Northeast Philadelphia, we not only want to provide our customers with great locksmith services, we also want to make sure they have the information they need to help keep them safe and secure at all times. Here are some tips from us on how to keep your house safe this summer while you’re on vacation.

Maintain Activity: One of the best ways to keep your home from being a target for a burglary is to keep up appearances to make it look like someone is still home. This can be done by having family, friends, or neighbors come by regularly to do things such as water the plants, pick up the newspaper, grab the mail, mow the lawn, etc. The U.S. Postal Service will even hold your mail for 3 to 30 days for no cost at all.

Lock Up: Before you leave for your trip, check all of the access points of your house to ensure that they’re secure and locked up. This means not only checking doors, but also windows, doggie doors, and cellar doors. If the locks on any of these things are not in working condition, be sure to call your local locksmith and have them replaced or repaired before your trip. Also consider turning off the power to your garage door because some savvy thieves can use universal remotes to open those as well.

Wait to Post Pics: We know there’s an urge to show off the great time you’re having on your trip by posting the pics to social media, but if you’re really concerned about the security of your home then it’s best to wait until you’re back from vacation. The more information that is out there about your current location or when you might be coming back, the more likely that information could get into the hands of the wrong people.
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Install Security System: This is perhaps the most drastic step, but it’s an effective one. Home security systems have the technology these days to send you alerts right to your phone when a break-in occurs, and most of them even alert the authorities as well when something happens. Video monitoring and text alerts make for a great way to keep an eye on your home no matter where you are in the world. 

Whether it’s a locksmith in Philly or anywhere else in the country, chances are they provide services that extend far beyond just lockouts and other key and lock issues.

Locksmiths often times have the necessary skill set to make them experts at a number of tasks, but here are a few that might not come to mind right away because they step a bit outside the framework of locks and keys.

Intercom Systems: Much like locks and keys, intercom systems are designed for you to be able to control who comes in and out of your home or commercial building. However, they allow you to do so without even having to walk to the door. There are many different levels of intercom systems that are intended to fulfill a variety of needs. Some just use audio, others have video capabilities and some even allow you to record or zoom in on images.

Alarm Systems: Installing alarm systems is another specialty that many locksmiths have. Like intercom systems, these can vary in price and functionality but there is typically a design for just about all needs and every type of budget. Sometimes alarm systems can even replace traditional locks and keys for your home or commercial building.

Exit Devices/Crash Bars: A very important device that all business owners should have installed can also be provided by many locksmith services. That would be an exit device or crash bar on doors leading in and out of the building. These devices are designed to mitigate traffic through doorways in the event of an emergency. Having these professionally installed is important to ensure that they are working 100 percent correctly and are up to Fire Code Safety laws.
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Door Closers: Full-service locksmiths can also usually repair or install door closers on commercial doors. The best locksmiths will provide door closers that are up-to-date and common so that they can be easily repaired or replaced in the future.