With lots of us having received shiny new gadgets over the Christmas period, it pays to be concerned about your home security. Even if your home isn’t full of riches, protecting your family is worth every penny. If you’ve had doubts about your home security, it’s time to wise up and look at what you can do to increase security in your home. Fortunately, making your home more secure doesn’t have to take much time or money – most thieves target empty looking homes, so looking present can be deterrent enough. Your street/neighborhood may look into using mobile security to safeguard your home as well as others, so that people have that extra confirmation of security. Looking into services found at Community Action Security will help HOA’s see what is available for certain areas.
Door Locks
Locking your door is a standard practice, but it’s not always the most secure one. If your lock is extremely old or showing signs of damage, call a locksmith and have it replaced immediately, as faulty locks are too easily breakable with a knife. For an extra level of security, double lock your door when you are out, with a standard lock and a deadlock. If you live alone or feel unsafe in your area, it may be wise to invest in a door chain or eyehole as well so you can veto any knocks on the door. It goes without saying that you should lock all of your doors and windows before leaving your home, as this is the first route by which burglars break into homes.
Lighting
A super cheap and easy method of scaring off criminals is to fit security lighting on the front and back entrances to your home. There are lots of types available, but most work off a motion sensor placed adjacent to or above your front door, and deter potential burglars by increasing vision on their activities. These can be connected to mains power, but you can now find security lighting which runs from solar power if you’re concerned about environmental impact.
Neighbourhood Help
If you’re going to be away from home for longer than a weekend or so, your house will begin to look vacant. Get on friendly terms with your neighbours and ask them to keep an eye on the house for you, or join a neighbourhood watch scheme. Having a friend or neighbour pop round to water the garden, feed pets, and collect your mail for you can eliminate signs that you aren’t home. Most people are happy to help – and a thank you card and chocolates can go a long way in recruiting help. During normal work days, the presence of a pet can be deterrent enough – even a small yappy dog can be scary to a burglar.