Snow Birds: How to Keep Your Desert Home Safe When You Leave for the Summer

April 22, 2014 - It's wonderful to escape the cold winters of the north and enjoy the wonderful weather and lifestyle of our area throughout these months. But when these residents are ready to return to their other house, how can they feel secure about leaving their desert home safe?

Chris Madain, founder of Desert Alarm, suggests reviewing the following to ensure the security of these homes:

1. Don't Leave a Key in an Obvious Place: although it's convenient to leave an extra key somewhere quick and easy for a neighbor to find if necessary, criminals like the quick and easy too. They all know about fake rocks and can probably reach the top of your door frame as well. It's best not to keep any extra keys anywhere outside your home. Much safer is to actually give the key to a trusted friend or neighbor.

2. Make Sure You Have Strong Doors and Locks: external doors should be either solid wood or metal, and locks should be a deadbolt or knob-in-lock set with a dead latch. Additionally, you can add store-bought deadbolts to windows and sliding doors or insert screws or dowels to prevent the window/door from being able to slide open.

3. Don't let fliers and packages linger: ask a friend or neighbor to check often and remove any fliers hung on your doorknob or gate and also phone books or other items left by your door on or on your driveway.

4. Lock Up: it seem obvious, but be sure to check and lock every door and window. You may think you never open a certain window, but check anyway. Also, be sure to put the cover and lock on your pet door! You can get deadbolts for pet doors too.

5. Lock the Garage Door Opener: most newer garage door openers have a small switch on the wall control that will keep the opener from functioning. You can also add a slide lock to the outside of the door (but be sure to disengage the lock before using the opener when you return or it could damage the door).

6. Display Alarm Company Signs: the best way to protect your home is to keep the criminals from even trying to get inside at all. Sacrifice aesthetics, and prominently display the signs for Desert Alarm outside your doors, gates to the backyard, and put decals on windows.

7. Install a Security System With Remote Features: Having a security system at your home is a bit of a no-brainer if you leave for months, but for added peace of mind, Desert Alarm offers the new Tuxedo Touch system. This system allows you to check and turn on your alarm remotely (don't drive back to double check that it is on!). Additionally, you can add cameras connected through the Internet to your phone or computer. Now, even from another state or country, you can view your own home to check that everything is okay.

This summer, Snow Birds don't need to worry whether everything is safe at their desert home. Desert Alarm can provide a state-of-the-art system for making their home as safe as possible while they are away.

About Desert Alarm, Inc.:
Founded in 1989 by Chris Madain, Desert Alarm provides security services to over 15,000 customers in Riverside and San Bernardino County. Services include 24-hour monitoring, camera system monitoring for both residential and commercial clients, medical alarms, fire alarms and the option to have patrol service checking your home or office. Desert Alarm also offers Cellular GSM which allows customers to turn on their security system with their phone or computer from any location as well as control the thermostat, lights and lock doors. Some clients include Subway Restaurants, McDonalds, The Wyndham Hotel, Miramonte Resort Indian Wells, CalTrans and Palm Springs Gas. Desert Alarm is located at: 73-168 Hwy 111, Palm Desert, CA 92260. For more information: DesertAlarm.com or 760-322-1562.