No matter where you live, there is always a chance that someone might choose your home to burgle. It’s not a pleasant thought, but if you prepare for the possibility in advance there can be far less chance of it happening. Making your home a deterrent is the best way to go about making it secure.
Depending on your budget and your location, there are a number of options available to you. Here are some great ways to make your home secure so that you can enjoy living there without any worries.
Make Your Doors Secure
Around one third of burglars manage to get through the front door of the property they have chosen to target, so it makes sense to ensure this point of access is totally secure with the help of a commercial locksmith. Perform an inspection of your front door and all other doors around your home that lead to the outside to ensure that the hinges are protected, and that the door is not hollow. If there is a slot for mail can someone put their hand through and remove a key or unlock the door? How strong are the frames? If you’re not completely sure that it’s secure, you can seek professional help from Florida Locksmith services.
Another factor to consider is giving yourself a chance to see who is outside. A peephole can be useful as is a smart doorbell from Simply Smart Home. This kind of technology allows people to see who is at their door remotely, and can even record video for up to three hours.
Don’t Forget Your Windows
It’s easy to forget to lock your windows, especially when the weather is pleasant, and they are open during the day. It’s important to get into a routine when you leave the house and ensure that part of that routine includes shutting all windows and locking them.
Regarding the locks, you should also check that these are working and that they are sturdy. Sometimes the locks that come as standard on windows aren’t as effective as they could be, and if this is the case you should consider installing new locks.
Install an Alarm System
Every homeowner should Visit securitysystems and consider a few safety and security measures to install, no matter how basic their home might be. It is a wonderful form of deterrent and if you have a security system it is unlikely that a burglar is going to waste their time trying to get into your home when there are plenty of houses that don’t have such systems installed. Getting a security system installation as soon as possible is a smart decision for you and your family to feel safe.
The kind of system you install will depend on your budget and what your location dictates – if you live in a low crime area, for example, you may not need anything too powerful, but if you live somewhere with a high amount of burglaries then you may wish to look at something better. Whatever you choose many sure you check it regularly and maintain it well so that it won’t fail you when you need it the most.
Get To Know Your Neighbors
Whether you have lived somewhere for a while or you have just moved in, make it your mission to find and speak to your neighbors. When you are friendly with the people living nearby you will find that you look out for their property and they look out for yours. If anyone sees something strange occurring, they are far more likely to get involved if they know and like you – friends help friends whenever possible. Of course, you might be fortunate and your neighbors might help out even if they don’t know you, but getting to know them is a good idea anyway. After all, having nearby friends is never a bad thing.
Who Should You Call?
Of course, everyone knows that you need to call 911 to report an emergency, but what if it isn’t so urgent? What if you arrive home to find that someone has broken in while you were away, or you come downstairs in the morning to discover that there was an attempted robbery? Calling 911 in these situations is not appropriate, so it’s a good idea to have your local police phone number to hand (perhaps on a noticeboard where you can keep other useful pieces of information).
If you need to claim on your household insurance, this is another number that you will need, so you can keep all of this information together.
Use Lighting
Although it is said that most of the burglaries that occur happen during the day when the occupants of a house are at work, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t secure your house at night too. In fact, making sure the house is locked up and safe before you go to bed is perhaps even more important; the last thing you want is for someone to break in while you and your family are sleeping.
An extra level of security during the darker hours is lighting. Place motion sensor lighting in both your front and backyards. If there is a spotlight suddenly shining on someone who is acting in a way to perhaps suggest there are illegal activities, then they will probably chance their minds and run away from your property. Not only that, but the lights suddenly coming on will alert you and others around you to the potential problem.
Remove Hiding Places
Your house may look lovely with all the shrubs and bushes out front, but these can also be ideal sports for burglars to hide, waiting for their chance. Keep anything that could be used for cover trimmed back as much as possible, and if you can swap out the larger trees and bushes for smaller plants or perhaps patio pots.
If you have security measures installed in your home, make sure that everyone knows about it. With alarm systems and smart doorbells, for example, you might receive window stickers to let anyone passing know that the house is protected. The same is true if you are part of a Neighborhood Watch scheme; a sticker on the window or a sign on the gate will let people know that the house is looked after in some way. This is another useful kind of deterrent.
