Holiday homes are a prime target for burglars because they are often left vacant for lengthy periods. This gives burglars plenty of time to break in uninterrupted. Securing these homes can be difficult but roller shutters have become a popular solution for South Africans. We look at why they’re trusted to secure holiday homes.
Second homes in holiday destinations need just as much protection from theft as permanent homes, if not more. They make tempting targets for thieves because they are often well stocked and furnished, with plenty of items of value to steal.
It is tricky to make homes look lived-in when nobody is there. Criminals that live in the area keep a watch on the movement of people, so they will know when the home is occupied. Many are opportunists, so if they pass by and see signals that the home is empty, they will take their chance to break in. These signals could be:
- No car in the driveway for longer than usual.
- A garden in need of attention.
- Windows and doors closed and locked for a long period.
- No lights going on and off.
- No movement of people in and around the house.
Isolated homes in rural areas, bush lodges, wild coastal areas, and game parks are particularly vulnerable. Local criminals monitor who is coming and going. They also know which homes are worth breaking into. Sometimes they return to the same house for a second round of stealing because they know that homeowners replace stolen items.
The golden rule is to have several layers of protection. If burglars have to deal with several diverse types of security, the holiday home become less attractive as a target. These layers could include a combination of monitored alarms and sensor beams, cameras, and armed response, if available.
The most frustrating protection for burglars is high strength security barriers on doors and windows. They are remarkably effective in stalling burglars so long that the target is not worth the effort and risk. The choice of barrier type depends on many factors, but there is no doubt that roller shutters are an excellent choice.
Features that make roller shutters a favourite for holiday home security are:
1. High Visibility Security
A lack of visible security makes a holiday home a target for burglars. They prefer to break in quickly and easily before they’re noticed by neighbours. They take what they want and make their escape. It could be months before the owners return to find a crime scene in their holiday home.
Holiday home owners aware of this possibility have roller shutters installed right around their property. This includes all windows, doors, and patios. Burglars are faced with a highly visible wall of shutters shielding the entire house. This discourages them from attempting to break in because it takes far too long, with a considerable risk of being caught in the act.
2. Out of Sight When at Home
When owners are using their holiday homes, they want expansive views of the outdoors. What they don’t want is windows and doors blocked by burglar proofing. Trellidor roller shutters are the perfect solution because when opened, they roll up out of sight, revealing the full view.
These shutters also have the following attractive features:
- A neat, compact shutter box to house the motor and curtain when opened.
- The shutter box can be hidden in a roof cavity during a new build or alteration.
- Narrow side guide channels that can be recessed into the walls.
- No floor channel, so no cutting into the floor tiles or carpeting to fit the shutter.
- No floor channel also means no tripping hazard.
In summary, roller shutters are designed to provide a solid wall of protection when needed but are also conveniently out of the way when the house is in use.
3. Safe Zone Door
A safe haven is just as important in a vulnerable holiday home as it is in a city dwelling. This is especially true of vacation homes in isolated areas, far from any help. Domestic internal roller shutter doors are an essential part of a safe zone. They are fitted in the passage or stairway to protect the bedroom area when the holiday home is occupied.
The safe zone is only complete if there is burglar proofing on the windows. This could be roller shutters or burglar bars. Remember to fit at least one window with burglar proofing that opens. This serves as an escape route if there is a fire in the home or intruders get in somehow.
4. Keyless Entry and Exit
Roller shutters are motorised and controlled with a hand held remote. There is no need for keys, which are easily lost or stolen for future use. When closing up a home after the holiday season, simply bring down the roller shutters using the remote to lock down the property. Take the remote home with you but remember to bring it next time you travel to your holiday home.
Some roller shutter models are available with an optional hand crank to use if there is a power failure. This manual opening method is a useful addition to a safe zone as it can be used to open the shutter during an emergency.
5. Choice of Slat Style
Slat styles range from roller shutters with holes to block out roller shutters. Block out roller shutters have solid slats from top to bottom. You can’t see through them, and they present a solid wall to potential robbers.
Shutters with holes can either be:
- Punched, with large perforations in all or some of the slats. The perforations let you see what’s happening on the other side of the shutter if there is a break
in while you’re home. A shutter with perforations in all slats is more suited to a patio than a complete lock-down of the home. A shutter with perforations at eye-level only works well in a safe zone. - Vented, with tiny equidistant perforations punched into the neck of each slat, along its entire length to produce a sieve-like appearance. These are visible when the shutter curtain is extended during travel up or down, or when stopped in a preset position. The purpose is to provide some ventilation when the shutters are closed for safety reasons when owners are in their holiday home.
Not all roller shutters have the option of punched or vented slats. The Trellidor lockdown shutters, for example, have alternating solid slats and actuators. This design creates the lockdown required in high crime risk locations.
Get the most out of roller shutters
Like all fittings within a home, roller shutters need a little care to keep them in top condition for many years of service. Roller shutter garage door or security doors maintenance can be carried out by the installers when required. Homeowners need to clean the doors regularly. This is not difficult and cleaning instructions can be found here.
To find out more about Trellidor roller shutters or to get a quote, contact your nearest Trellidor outlet.
