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Renting a Property? Know How to Keep Yourself Safe

Cardboard facade of a house with a gift tag reading 'For Rent' looped through the window.

Safety tip #1: Secure main entrances

Most entrance doors have deadbolts installed on them. Although you can use either a single- or double-cylinder deadbolt, it’s a good idea to install a double-cylinder deadbolt as it is more secure. If you have the main entrance near a window, a double-cylinder deadbolt can prevent a thief from reaching through the window and opening the door.

You can also improve the safety of your entrances by installing metal or solid wood doors. As much as possible, stay away from hollow wood doors or doors with windows, as these are very easy to break. A solid door is ideal for those who want to fully protect their property.

You can also encourage tenants to use door jammers as an added, simple precaution. And if you have to evict a tenant and aren’t able to get all the keys returned, it’s important to get the locks rekeyed before a new renter moves in.

Safety tip #2: Consider hiring a property manager

You need to maintain your property to ensure you have your renter’s satisfaction. This can be difficult if you live far from your property, work a full-time job, or simply don’t have time to perform regular upkeep on your rental location. Hiring a property manager can not only help with this but also deter would-be burglars because someone is always monitoring and present on the premises.

You may want to hire a property manager to take care of any issues and problems as they arise. Property managers specialize in screening tenants, maintaining the location, and keeping an eye on the area. A property manager can simplify your life by handling all the time-consuming, day-to-day work and making sure your rental is protected.

Safety tip #3: Check the window security

Most windows are fitted with a locking mechanism that prevents them from being opened from the outside. However, in most cases, a burglar can easily break the window and unlock it or climb through. You can combat this risk by installing locks on your windows because if burglars see these, they will probably second guess whether or not to break in.

You can also install window sensors that will sound an alarm if your window is tampered with. Some will even send an alert to your smartphone so you know immediately when your rental property’s security has been breached.

Safety tip #4: Install a security system

A security system may seem like a big investment, but it will help to fully secure your property. There are a variety of security system options, so you’ll find one that fits within your budget and needs. As you shop for a security system, make sure you find one that includes everything you need—like door and window sensors, smoke alarms, and motion-detecting lights.

Many new security devices are very convenient because they’re DIY, so they’re easy to install, and are remotely accessible. As long as you are connected to the device—likely through an app on your smartphone—you’ll be able to use it with ease. Monthly monitoring generally isn’t too expensive, but some tenants may even pay more for the added security.

Safety tip #5: Add external lighting

No burglar wants a spotlight exposing their crime. Fortunately, you can use motion-sensing lights to deter intruders from invading your property. As a precautionary measure, install this security lighting near the main entrances of your home.

You shouldn’t need more than a couple of motion-sensing lights because most of them can detect movement up to dozens of feet away in every direction. Some of them are even solar-powered so you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries or using electricity.

Renting your property can be a good investment, but you need to keep that investment—and your renters—safe. To avoid security issues and ensure that you will benefit from your rental property for years to come, it’s very important to keep it safe and well maintained.

Safety tip #5: Add external lighting

No burglar wants a spotlight exposing their crime. Fortunately, you can use motion-sensing lights to deter intruders from invading your property. As a precautionary measure, install this security lighting near the main entrances of your home.

You shouldn’t need more than a couple of motion-sensing lights because most of them can detect movement up to dozens of feet away in every direction. Some of them are even solar-powered so you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries or using electricity.

Renting your property can be a good investment, but you need to keep that investment—and your renters—safe. To avoid security issues and ensure that you will benefit from your rental property for years to come, it’s very important to keep it safe and well maintained.

Creative Places to Hide Your Christmas Presents from Family, Friends, and Kids

Several wrapped gift boxes in red, white, and brown wrapping paper and ribbons.

The holidays are quickly approaching, and that means something different for everyone. Whether your favorite part of the holidays is making memories with friends and family, cooking delicious meals, or decorating the home in the spirit of Christmas, we can guess what your least favorite part is: hiding gifts from prying hands and eyes. Especially for those with small children, who can hardly think about anything else for the entire month of December! Thankfully, your local Pop-A-Lock is here with a handy guide for creative places where you can hide your Christmas presents!

For some, hiding Christmas presents is as easy as grabbing a ladder, or climbing up to the top shelf of your pantry. Others, however, might want to try a less obvious place. After all, what’s the point of hiding your gifts if you don’t even forget where they are?

One thing that we can assure you of is this: nowhere is off limits when it comes to hiding Christmas presents from inquisitive kids and prying eyes. Keeping in mind that the older your kids get, the harder the hiding becomes, check out these top six places to stow away those toys!

A living room decorated for Christmas, with red stockings hanging over a white fireplace next to a green armchair.

In the refrigerator. Since it’s a place that most kids know to stay away from, this is an extremely clever way of hiding Christmas presents! We all know kids, especially young ones, will do anything to stay away from the vegetable drawer, making it an ideal place for their December 25th goodies. The downside of this trick, is that it only works for presents that are small or flat, and that can withstand the cold. For particularly tough presents, consider trying the freezer!

In your oven. With all those holiday cookies and pies coming out of the oven, why not stick in some gifts too? Just make sure they don’t get overcooked. This hiding place may serve as a temporary storage place for presents (until the cooking begins), but who would think to look in the oven?

In your closet. This is a great way to hide gifts for older kids who are less likely to snoop around closets than younger children, but keep in mind that the presents shouldn’t be too large or bulky, otherwise you might have some explaining to do! The darker and deeper the closet, the better. To give kids an extra hard time, wrap the presents in some old clothes or blankets, stick them up high, or stack them behind some boxes.

At the bottom of the laundry basket. Getting your kids to do their laundry is difficult as it is, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your kids will never dig down to the bottom of the basket in search of a gift.

In your tool box or a toy chest. If you have an older child, chances are they don’t play with their toys as often anymore. By hiding presents in a toolbox or toy chest, they will forget about them for years! Just be careful when digging around, those screwdrivers can be sharp little guys!

And finally, in your plants! Watering plants is a chore to most kids, so hiding them in an area they avoid is a foolproof way to make sure those gifts stay hidden. Make sure those presents are waterproof (or take waterproofing measures prior to hiding), because opening a brand new gaming system or cell phone on Christmas morning won’t be quite as fun if it’s water damaged.

Santa Claus holding onto the sides of his glasses with both hands, and an open mouth looking surprised.

With these six creative places to hide Christmas presents from your friends and family, you’ll be able to keep those gifts a surprise until the very last minute. Happy holidays!

And if for some reason you lock your presents away so well even you can’t get to them, call your local Pop-A-Lock locksmiths to break them out for you! Trust us, we’ve probably seen weirder.

How Your Online Presence Might Attract Burglars

Blonde sitting on the floor with their back against a white brick wall typing on a laptop.

Today’s world of social media has made it easier than ever before for people everywhere to stay connected with one another, despite geographic boundaries. It also means that there are more opportunities online for criminals who seek out information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms to burglarize homes or commit crimes while victims are away traveling or enjoying time off.

In fact, did you know that nearly 80% of burglars use social media to target their victims?

By posting too much about your life online, you may be unknowingly giving away too much information regarding your whereabouts that criminals can use to target you and your family.

Family of three holding hands on the beach walking toward the water.

Posting About Vacations

For example, by posting about your upcoming trip to Hawaii on social media channels while you are at the airport waiting for a flight, it is possible that potential criminals can observe this information. This person may know when you will be away from home and choose to burglarize or steal items in order to capitalize on this opportunity.

Additionally, if these posts continue once you have arrived at your destination (such as images of you and friends frolicking on the beach with drinks), this could indicate that no one else is currently staying in the house, which would make it easier for someone who wants to burglarize or commit other crimes there without getting caught.

Monitoring your online activity before and during your trip is a good way to protect yourself from burglars, especially in the summer months, when more people use social media sites to post about their vacations.

What To Do Instead

Delaying your posts until after you have returned home is a great way of protecting yourself and your family so that your home and belongings are protected while away on vacation or a trip. If possible, it may also be helpful to refrain from posting any pictures of an empty house with indications such as, “I’m off to Hawaii today! Wish me luck! I will update everyone once I land. 🙂 xoxo” online if there are no plans for anyone else (including friends) to stay at this location during this period of time.

Even when you’re not on vacation you should still be wary about what you post on social media. If you’re going on a business trip, or even just staying with friends for the weekend, resist the urge to tweet about your location and where you are headed.

Person holding a cell phone.

Protect Your Profiles

Another way to protect your home and family is to change the privacy settings of your profiles to ensure that your posts are only visible to friends. This can help to keep burglars away from your home because their ability to burglarize or steal items is hindered if they do not know when you will be gone, how long for, and other details about the property.

Almost every social media platform allows for private profiles. This not only lets you keep your plans safe from the wandering eyes of criminals, but also lets you vet anyone who tries to follow you prior to giving them access to your personal life.

It’s Not Just About Vacations

In the same way that posting about your location can be dangerous, posting too much about your day-to-day life, family, and friends can put them at risk. For example, if you continually post about your childrens’ school events or trips, this can give burglars, or even kidnappers, too much information. They will know when you are typically home throughout the day, what school your child or children attend, and may even be able to find out what kind of car you drive.

Even though we live in an age of online sharing where everything seems like it should be public knowledge, taking precautions such as delaying posts about certain aspects of your life (such as vacation plans) until after you have returned home will help protect you and those close to you from becoming victims of crime while away on trips or vacations.