Log cabins conjure up images of family summer vacations, romantic fall retreats, and getting away from it all to the lakeside, hills or mountains, and other remote destinations. They also make a great investment as a holiday let. But when you pack up and leave, or let it out to other people, that log cabin becomes one more thing you have to monitor and watch over.
Many holiday destinations will have a security guard doing the rounds, while in some locations neighbors or other friends and family you let use the log cabin can keep an eye on things. But when there’s no one around, that’s the most likely time for a criminal or misfortune to strike, or in extreme cases, when entire log cabins are removed from their site.
Protecting your empty log cabin
Before you leave the location, there are the usual basic steps you can go through to protect your cabin. Firstly, check that all the windows and doors are locked, that anything that could represent a fire hazard is turned off or removed, and that trusted neighbors or local security are informed.
Next, remove any personal or valuable possessions from sight, or take them away with you to give a burglar less reason to want to break in. And leave plenty of warning signs similar to the “no valuables left on this property” and “security cameras and connected alarms installed” to deter thieves.
To keep an eye on the property, you can also set up internal and exterior neighborhood security cameras to monitor access points. These use WIFI or a mobile network (if available) to keep you in touch with the property. Modern security cameras can provide an alert when there is motion, sound or other activity.
Yes, most times, that will be a wild animal, or security doing the rounds. But from time to time it could be a real threat from a nosy neighbor to criminals looking for easy pickings. You can use the analytics features of modern cameras to discount some regular triggers, like the sun reflecting near the camera, or the guards on their regular rounds, leaving only notifications about genuine threats or unknown events.
Using the security camera, you can either sound an alarm to warn the person off, talk to them to establish their motives, or call local security, police or fire to intervene as required.
Long-term log cabin protection
Beyond using neighborhood security cameras, alarms and other methods to protect your log cabin, there are more long-term methods to maintain the property, including metal shutters to protect the windows and doors against the environment. These also improve security making it harder for criminals to break into a log cabin (and if they try, there’s a lot more noise to alert neighbors).
You can also set up timers to trigger the interior and exterior lights, creating the impression the property is occupied. Exterior lights with sensors will come on when someone is near the property, disturbing and illuminating any potential criminals when they go near the log cabin.
You should also check the cabin for weak points, such as rotting wood after a few years of use, or locks that are coming loose, anything that a burglar might notice. For added security, also ensure you, or a maintenance team, keep bushes and long grass down to eliminate hiding places. Also, trim trees or branches that provide easy access to upper windows that might be less secure than the downstairs entry points.
Final thoughts for greater peace of mind
There is no such thing as a 100% secure building, no matter where it is located. But a good security system can help reduce the risk, and insurance premiums on your log cabin, should the worst happen. Taking extra measures makes them a cost-efficient part of your security setup.
And, if you rent the property out to guests, cameras and sensors can help provide evidence in disputes over damage or other problems, like smoking or vaping in areas where that is not allowed, or having fires near the property.
These and other efforts to protect your log cabin, no matter how remote it is, or how well you think it’s protected if located in a holiday or tourist area with additional security facilities, will ensure peace of mind when nothing is happening. And they mean you can leap into action should a real alert happen.
With criminals looking for easy pickings away from the bright lights and constant surveillance of cities and towns, installing neighborhood security cameras at log cabins and other remote properties means they are in for a rude awakening should they look for more rural targets of opportunity.