Summer Home Security Tips

By Shelley Frost

June 16, 2025

What’s not to love about summer? Vacations, trips to the beach, gatherings with friends: It's a favorite time of year for many. But summer also comes with increased security risks around your home.

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Common Summer Home Security Threats

Warmer weather, changes in your routine and a more relaxed attitude can contribute to summer home security threats. Season-specific issues may include:

  • Open doors and windows. When the weather warms up, you might leave your doors and windows open more often. Burglars have easy access to your home without needing to pick a lock or break any glass.

  • Time spent outside. Your family may spend time in the backyard or riding bikes in the neighborhood, all the while keeping your garage door open or your front door unlocked. While you're distracted, someone could sneak into your home.

  • Vacations. If you're planning a family vacation, your extended absence provides a large window of opportunity for break-ins.

  • Overgrown shrubbery. The summer months give your landscaping a boost, but failing to trim your greenery could create a hiding spot for intruders.

  • Laid-back attitude. During the summer, you might embrace an easygoing attitude that makes you slack on your home security protocols. Little mistakes could leave big vulnerabilities in your home.

How Can I Improve Home Security During the Summer?

Step back and evaluate the specific vulnerabilities in your home during the summer months. Maybe you're good about keeping your landscaping trimmed but you leave your doors and windows unlocked all the time. Perhaps your family spends a large part of the summer away from home, taking vacations and visiting people.

Once you identify the specific concerns for your home, you can make changes to those habits. Look for weaknesses in your home's security. For example, if you have an old, weak front door lock, replace it with a secure deadbolt or smart lock with biometric unlocking features.

How Do I Make It Look Like Someone Is Home While I'm on Vacation?

When you're on vacation, you don't want to make it obvious that no one is home. Criminals might watch your neighborhood for days or weeks, looking for patterns in your daily activities. If you suddenly change those patterns, it's a good indicator you're not around. Some obvious signs you're on vacation include:

  • An unemptied mailbox

  • A trash can left out by the curb

  • No changes to your lights or a set on-and-off schedule with a timer

  • Curtains that stay in the same position for several days

  • An unmowed lawn

  • No cars coming and going

  • Social media posts about being away from home

Making your home look occupied can help. Smart home devices can help with that. For instance, you can turn your lights off and on at different times with smart lights. The same is true for smart blinds. By changing when you turn on the lights or open the blinds, you create the illusion that someone is there manually doing those things.

A friend or neighbor can also help out. Ask them to come over occasionally so there's a car in the driveway. You might even ask a next-door neighbor to park in your driveway while you're gone so it looks like someone is home. Either put your mail on hold or ask someone to collect it for you. If trash day falls during your vacation, have a neighbor handle your trash. You might also hire a lawn-mowing service if you'll be gone for an extended period to keep your grass short.

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How Do I Prevent Burglaries in the Summer?

Installing a home security system is beneficial whether you're home or away for the summer. You can monitor your house through video cameras and motion detectors. Incorporating a smart lock lets you see when the door opens or closes.

Being extra-vigilant during your activities can also help. Check doors and windows to make sure they're closed and locked as much as possible. Get in the habit of closing your garage door unless you're actively in the area. Eliminating easy access points makes your home less of a target.

Be careful when discussing your summer plans. Even a day trip to the beach could make your home vulnerable with no one around. Don't talk about your vacation plans or post about them online.

If your summer plans include home renovations, use caution when giving out copies of keys or access to your home. Using a smart lock system that allows you to open the door for contractors remotely helps you control access to your home.

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