Don’t forget about your garden security
I may have trouble getting through the blog this month, as it seems I’ve begun to melt. The last week or so has taken its toll, and my body now mainly consists of a puddle on the floor. What I’m trying to say here, to slight dramatic effect, is that crikey it’s HOT. We seem to have gone from snow to insane heat in a matter of weeks, completely bypassing Spring. I guess there’s not much point complaining about the heat though, as no doubt we’ll soon be back to the Winter, probably missing out Autumn along the way. But anyway, what am I doing banging on about the weather for? Well, mainly to get through the first paragraph, but also to introduce the topic of today’s blog in the second paragraph.
This is the second paragraph, see, and as promised in the first paragraph, I’ll be continuing here – it’s like you’re getting a glimpse behind the curtain. Not that I’m the Wizard of Oz, of course, despite what people might say. Anyway, Summer brings with it several plus points – less to spend on heating, more time spent outside, not to mention a certain World Cup on the TV (or tennis if it’s more your thing). However, there are a couple of downsides too. One of these is the phenomenon of topless men sweating all over the fruit and veg counter in ASDA, and the other concerns the security of your home. Unsurprisingly I’ll be focussing on the latter aspect today. Much as the former issue may need addressing, it’s well outside of my remit as a locksmith to solve.
Don’t forget your outbuildings
Every summer, statistics show a consistent rise in the number of thefts from gardens, sheds and garages. Rates are 25% higher during the summer months than at any other time of the year. It’s not just the wasps and ants that the warmer weather encourages, it also brings out even more annoying pests in the form of burglars and thieves. Admittedly there’s less night-time hours for thieves to operate under cover of darkness during the summer, but the attraction of the warmer days and laxer security means the rates still rise despite the lighter evenings. Plus burglars like their home comforts too and would much rather be working in the mild summer evenings than the freezing winter nights.
Security of outbuildings is often a low priority for householders. In some ways this is understandable as people put the focus on the security of their home, rightly fitting all manner of modern locks and alarm systems to put burglars off breaking in, but neglecting any buildings that do not constitute the main house. This is a problem in that not only does this oversight make sheds and garages more vulnerable to break-ins, but also through the fact that any burglar soon discovers that these outbuildings are easy pickings for their break- in attempts. They know from experience that there is generally less security in place, and also that there may be expensive equipment such as lawnmowers, tools and bicycles that can be taken without much trouble.
As well as the emotional upset that a break-in can cause, there can be further implications of items being stolen from a shed or garage. On making a claim to your insurers, there is a possibility that you will find you’re not covered for any items that have been taken from buildings not classed as your main place of residence. There are frequently clauses limiting any claims that can be made from items taken from sheds or garages, especially if the security is not up to scratch. Recent findings showed that a quarter of home contents policies would not cover the full value of items stolen from sheds or garages. In most scenarios this meant that the full amount could not be recovered due to relatively low limits being placed on the amount that could be claimed, but in some cases householders were left not being able to claim anything at all for items stolen.
Are you covered?
It is well worth taking a moment to go over your home insurance policy to check if you are sufficiently covered. The value of items in our garages or sheds can soon add up – bicycles, power tools, garden equipment, furniture etc – so check that the policy is enough to cover the cumulative cost of all those items. Watch out too for any single claim limits – insurers can often sneak in a clause saying they won’t cover any item over a certain value, and if you have a fancy bicycle this might exceed the amount.
Regardless of whether your insurance fully covers you or not, I would still urge you to inspect the state of the security on any outbuildings. Check if any items you keep in the shed or garage would be better stored in the house which generally enjoys much better security. This may not always be an option, in which case focus on beefing up the security outside – this can be as simple as purchasing a sturdy padlock for the shed, or an inexpensive motion sensor for the garage.
Right, well I somehow got through that before I entirely melted although it was a close call. Hoping you enjoy the rest of the sunny weather, whatever you do, and hopefully your summer will be untainted by any security breaches.