If you’re facing the same dilemma this back-to-school season, you’re probably planning on leaving a spare key under the mat, right? If that’s the plan, you might as well leave the front door unlocked! If someone wants to get inside, that’s surely the first place they’ll look. Sure, you could try and come up with a hiding place that’s a little more inconspicuous like one of these. But, either way it’ll always be an added stress when you could instead have peace of mind. When it comes to hiding that spare key, the ultimate solution is to ditch it altogether for connected locks.

See Also: Questions You Should Ask Before Investing in Smart Home Automation

What is a Connected Door Lock?

Connected locks eliminate the need for a spare key. These locks can be placed on your door handle, used as a deadbolt, or both. Rather than needing a key to get inside, you simply enter your 4-digit passcode to unlock the door. So, what makes it connected? Also known as smart door locks, connected locks sync up with your home, security system, and can be controlled right from your phone. This helps you stay connected to your home and family whether you’re working late or out running errands!

How Do Smart Locks Help You Stay Connected to Family?

Each member of your family can use their own unique passcode to lock and unlock the door. As a parent, this helps you stay connected to who’s coming and going from your home — and when. This is also something that can be updated and changed as needed. So if your relatives are coming to visit for the weekend, you can quickly give them their own passcode right from the mobile app! That’s one of the reasons that these types of locks are so commonly used with Airbnb rentals.

The unique passcodes don’t stop at family and friends. You can also create time-based passcodes for dog walkers, babysitters, or other services. These temporary passcodes only work during the dates and times that you set. So you no longer have to worry about changing locks after giving out a key.

For All of Those Times You Forgot to Lock the Door

Have you ever left for work in the morning only to turn around because you couldn’t remember if you locked the front door? Imagine if you could just pull your phone out to check. Better yet, just lock the door from your phone and then move on with your day. That’s the connected lock. It gives you complete control over your home’s entryways right from your phone. Lock the door from the bed, sofa, or the office.

Use This Tip to Never Forget to Lock the Door Again

You could open the app and lock the doors when you leave home, or, you could skip that step altogether. Connected door locks use location services, also known as geofencing, to lock your doors when you leave home. You can create your own geofences that will activate as you get a certain distance away from home. Now, your home will lock itself every time you drive away, keeping it safe until you return!

Keeping Your Family Safe is What’s Most Important

When connected locks are an option, you never need a spare key. The bottom line is that spare keys just aren’t safe — and safe is what’s most important to us. Ditch the spare key for the connected lock and take control of who comes and goes from your home. When school starts in just a few weeks, and your kids are coming home alone, now you have the perfect solution.

Want to learn more about how you can use connected locks to keep your home protected and connected? Contact us today to talk to a Safe Home Security Specialist about how easy it is to switch to connected locks.

The post The “Smartest” Hiding Place for Your Spare Key appeared first on Safehome Security.

Last year, there were 3,492 thefts and 738 burglaries in Hartford, CT. If those statistics shock you, you may be in the market for a smart home security system. An integrated home security system can help you prevent break-ins, minimize property damage, and keep a record of any crimes committed in and around your home. But it’s not the only way to stay safe. Here, we’ll give you some helpful tips on protecting your property that go beyond smart technology.

See Also: How to Avoid False Alarms

Say ‘Goodbye’ to Outdoor Keys

We’ve all been here: you get to the office after a hectic morning only to check your pockets or purse and realize you’ve forgotten your house key. It’s a distressing situation, not only because you don’t know how you’ll get in, but because you now have to deal with it after a long day of work.

That’s why many homeowners turn to a simple solution: hide a key outside. Maybe it’s under the doormat. Or maybe you’ve hidden it in a false rock. But burglars know the common hiding places, and homeowners have reported losing the fake rock because it looks too similar to the others nearby.

The safest way to ensure your home’s entry points remain secure is with a smart lock system. You can access the locks remotely via your smartphone or tablet, so you’ll never have to worry about locking yourself out.

Know Who’s at the Door

Potential intruders will try and scope out entry points before they approach. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on anyone who comes to your door.

A traditional surveillance system is one of the most common ways to protect your property. But they don’t let you communicate with the outside world.

A video doorbell will give you a clear visual of the person outside, and a built-in intercom will make it easy to communicate with them from your smartphone or tablet. Once you know who they are and what they want, you can then remotely disengage the locks. You don’t even have to get off the couch.

Let Them Know You’re Watching

Did you know that homes without security systems are up to 300 percent more likely to be broken into? That means just letting the world know you’ve taken precautions can help protect your property.

While it may seem ideal to install a discreet security system that doesn’t disrupt decor, you can mount visible cameras and security lights outside that do a lot of heavy lifting for your security system.

Remember: the best crime is the one that doesn’t happen. And the best security system is the one you don’t have to use.

Make sure you get the most out of yours with a home security upgrade from your local experts. Click here for more.

The post How to Protect Your Home from a Break-In appeared first on Safehome Security.