Home security is not something that should only be worried about after something happens. Taking all necessary precautions will prevent your home from becoming a target. Here are some tips that will help you keep your house safe from people that want to steal your valuables.
If you want your home to be safe and secure, it is essential to have a security analysis preformed by a reputable company. This will assess the weak points of your home security and will help you understand what areas need more protection and what areas have sufficient protection to keep you safe.
Change your locks whenever you undergo a significant life change. Whether moving into a new home or a former relationship moving out, you should always know who has a copy of the keys to your home. It would be best if you also changed your locks anytime you lose your keys.
Do not hide your key in a mailbox or other well-known location. Instead, put your key in paper or aluminium foil and place it in a small container. After doing this, bury it in a yard where people would not think to look. This can help keep your home safe from unwanted guests.
Rid the outside of your home from dead wood, vegetation, and overgrowth during the summertime. These can pose a fire hazard due to heat and storms with lightning. Keep these cleared away regularly to maintain your home’s safety and keep it in good shape.
Be aware of what’s being talked about in the neighbourhood. The more you know about the people you live near, the more you can be sure of your home’s overall security. You may see here something strange through the grapevine. But beyond that, all your newfound neighbour friends make excellent watchdogs for keeping your property safe!
Clean up that dirty garage and park your car in it. Parking your car in your garage can help keep criminal activity at bay. First, your car will be less of a target than if it was sitting parked on the street. Second, it makes it more challenging for criminals to track your daily activities.
Pretend you are a burglar. By taking on the role of an intruder, you can check for vulnerable areas around your property. Think hard about ways you would get into your home if you were a criminal. Check the garage and sheds or other places you keep valuable possessions.
Don’t hide your spare house key in a prominent place outside. The days of safely hiding the spare key under the doormat are long gone. Placing your key in a conspicuous area now may help you if you get locked out, but it could also be an invitation for a thief to enter your home. It’s best to avoid hiding spare keys on your property. It would be best to keep a spare key with a trusted neighbour or get a fingerprint or keypad door lock.
Never open the door if you are not expecting company. Always look first, whether through a peephole or a window. If you don’t know the person at the door and feel uncomfortable, don’t answer it. If it is someone important, they can always come back or call you on the phone.
Always get references from anyone you consider hiring to do work inside your home. A background check may also be a good idea. You can never be sure if the contractor, repairman, maid, etc., that you hire to do services in your home is honest. If you let these people in without knowing anything about them, you could experience significant losses.
If you need to hide a spare key, do so safely. Putting it under your doormat, in a plant hanging by the door, in your garage, on the wall, or in the mailbox is all poor. Instead, bury it somewhere and mark it in a non-descript way.
If any spot around your home is dark, install a motion-sensitive or infrared light detector. This turns them on only when someone lurks there, allowing you to save money on electricity while thwarting anyone who might be casing out your home. No one will rob a well-lit home!
If you see anyone in your neighbourhood you don’t know who seems to continually pop up, including a questionable car, ask your neighbours if they know them. If not, a call to the police will only protect your home, even if it is at the expense of someone who happens to be loitering peacefully.
If anyone knocks on your door and asks to use your phone, tell them you can make the call for them. In this day and age of cell phones and pay phones, there is little reason for anyone to appear on your doorstep asking for help. Could you take it as a red flag?
If you are going on vacation, don’t cancel the delivery of your mail or your newspaper. When you do that, you never know who may stumble across the information you will be away from home. Instead, ask a friend or a family member to help you out.
Never leave a note on your door for delivery or service people. A note on a door might as well be a neon sign for a potential intruder, alerting them that nobody is home. Try to arrange for a friend or neighbour to accept your delivery or let a service person onto the property if you cannot be home.
While it seems like a lot was said in the above article, all of it should be thought about very carefully. Police officers and security companies are there to protect you, but you have to play a part. You are the first step in stopping your home from becoming a target.
