Your security upgrades might be a little outdated. To ensure the safety of your home and family you should assess the safety of your area and figure out what your security needs might be. Read for some tips on what to look out for and what best suits your needs.
Secure your Doors
A rather large amount of burglars stroll in through the front door. Approximately 34% of them to be exact. Make sure to inspect all exterior doors to make sure that the door frames are strong and the hinges are secure and protected.
If you’re moving into a new place that someone else has called home before, change your door locks. Call a locksmith. The experts at https://www.saunders-locksmiths.co.uk/ recommend that you only use high-quality parts and locks that meet British standards BS3621 and TS007. That way you ensure that you don’t have strangers out there with a key to your house, and you can make sure that your doors are fitted with the best locks on the market.
Make sure to reinforce your sliding glass doors. Home intruders love sliding doors. Make sure that your glass sliding doors are protected by a door sensor or glass- break sensor. These alert you if your glass sliding door has been tampered with and should scare off potential thieves.
Secure Your Windows
Doors and windows are the most common entry points for burglars. This is because windows are often left open and manufacturer latches aren’t always effective. Sometimes they are incredibly flimsy. If you don’t like the look of your window latches, improve security by installing key-operated levers, or locks. You do not need to stop there though.
Some other ideas to ensure that your windows are burglar-proof include reinforced glass, burglar bars, sensors, and even prickly bushes under your windows to make them less desirable and harder to access.
Light It Up
Criminals such as vandals and burglars do not like being in the spotlight. Keep them at bay with ample outdoor lighting. Install lights around your front and back yard, along pathways, and near your garage and any other outdoor structures. Not only does this make intruders uneasy, but it also lowers your risk of stumbling in the dark on your way up to the house, or around the garden.
Make your outdoor security lights more effective by installing motion-activated lights, solar-powered lights, and out outdoor lights that are on a timer.
The Garage
The garage is becoming an increasingly popular entry point to the home. Even if you can’t access your house directly through the garage, chances are you have plenty of goods stored in the garage. Make it a habit to lock the garage.
You may also consider keeping your garage door opener in the house. That way a burglar can’t grab it out of your car. And if you use a security code to open the garage, make sure you keep it secret and never enter it in front of delivery people, neighbours, or anyone else.
Some more easy ways to secure the garage are to upgrade to a smart garage door opener, cover your windows to hide what is inside, secure the doors with extra locks, and use home automation to never leave the garage door open.
A Security System
You should have some form of a security system in your home. A basic DIY system is not advisable. Get one that comes with professional monitoring or get home automation. There are plenty of home security options for all your budget needs and every level of protection.
Evaluate your neighbourhood and your house to ascertain what you need. You can get your neighbourhood crime statistics from your local police department, which can assist you in the security evaluation of your home.
Again, avoid going the DIY security route.
Add Security Cameras
You’ve probably seen headlines about burglars being foiled by security camera footage, and have very likely come across a viral video or two about burglary fails. This home security solution is one that works as both a deterrent and a means of obtaining justice. You can get security cameras that are part of a complete home security system, or ones that work on their own system with a mobile app.
Look for cameras that have features such as motion detection, night vision, Wi-Fi capabilities, two-way talk, storage, weatherproofing for outdoor cameras.
Use Home Automation
Home automation offers you remote and sometimes even scheduled control of your lights, door locks, security cameras, alarms, and other security devices. It allows you to get real-time alerts about activity around your property so that you can respond quickly and stop them.
A few home automation technologies used to increase security include scheduled lighting to turn on and off when you’re on vacation, two-way talk through smart doorbell to scare away porch pirates, and an instant video feed whenever someone walks up to your driveway and front door.
Bonus Tip: Lock Down Your Wi-Fi Network
Your home wireless network is a virtual doorway to your personal and financial information and if you use home automation, it will make your home vulnerable to a break-in. If your Wi-Fi network is connected to your smart home gadgets or your security system it gives criminals direct access to your home unless you have virtual security.
You don’t have to leave yourself open to attack. Make sure that you secure your wireless router, enable WPA or WPA2 encryption, rename and make sure you hide your home network, use a firewall, install antivirus and anti-malware protection and be sure to create strong passwords.
If you’ve got kids, they are likely to spend time online for both homework and for fun. Cyberbullies and predators are a reality online. Keep your kids safe from these online threats with parental control apps, routers, and software safety packages. These tools can even help you limit screen time and monitor the types of sites your kids’ visit.
Figuring out how to secure your home isn’t the easiest thing, but it definitely doesn’t need to be a chore. Use these tips to point you in the right direction. And remember you don’t need to get everything done at once.
Identify which strategies are the most important and best suited to you. You can always make a plan to add the rest in later. Being aware of potential security risks and taking early action is the best way to keep your home safe.
