Window A/C Security: How to keep your house and family safe

Temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s, heat indexes over 100, the heart of summer is upon us! The temperatures continue to rise and one thing all of us do to stay cool on those hot days and nights is relax inside with the air conditioning on. There are sometimes some very negative consequences to the simple task of sitting inside to stay cool.

A 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey found that 26% of U.S households use window/wall mounted A/C units. The inherent risk with using these systems is that criminals have easy access to your residence and belongings.

This raises the question, how do the 26% of U.S. households keep their house and family safe? The answer is not all that difficult with the helpful tips below from your Michigan City Police Department!

• Remove 1st level A/C units when you are going to be away for an extended period of time
• Install motion lights on the sides of your residence with A/C units
• Install screws into the top mounting rail of your A/C unit and into the window sash
• Plant thorny bushes such as rose bushes below windows with A/C units
• Install a window lock to prevent your window from being opened
• When at all possible, place A/C units in upper level windows of your home
• Install a window A/C security bar
• Utilize a stick-on window alarm
• Install a security cage around your A/C unit
• Keep valuables out of view from windows and doors Most of the items listed above can be purchased at your local hardware store or online and are fairly inexpensive. Keep in mind, these small changes will not make it impossible for a criminal to attempt to gain entry into your home. However, criminals are opportunistic and if they see your house as having some of these safety measures implemented, they will most likely move along to find someone else to victimize. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay informed Michigan City!