HOW BEST TO ENHANCE YOUR HOME SECURITY
When it comes to guarding the safety and security of your home, the truth is, if you don’t decide to be pro-active, your property will become more attractive to a potential burglar. It’s time to take charge. There are numerous relatively easy ways to protect your home from robbery. Obviously, you can’t anticipate every potential weakness, but you can still take affordable and reasonable measures to stop most situations in which a break-in might happen.
Set up basic household rules.
- Don’t open your door to strangers. (If you don’t already have one, it’s time to install a peephole.)
- Keep your garage door in working order, and always make sure it’s shut and locked whenever you’re gone.
- Keep your windows and doors locked anytime you’re away, as well as when you’re all asleep.
Eliminate potential hiding places. Maintain your trees, hedges, shrubs, and other plants, keeping them well trimmed. If they’re ungainly, too tall, or poorly spaced, a trespasser can easily hide.
Don’t keep your keys and garage-door remotes out in the open. It’s a bad idea to have your remotes and keys on display close to the door, where anybody can see them by looking through a window. Instead, keep them hidden inside a cupboard door or drawer.
Don’t keep a “hidden” key outdoors. Any robber will find the extra key you placed under the mat, inside the mailbox, above your door, or beneath the planter. Even if you have a phony-rock keyholder, a professional criminal will likely already be able to recognize what it looks like. Instead, give a spare copy of your key to a neighbor or friend you trust.
Hide your valuables effectively.
- Rent a safe-deposit box at your local bank to protect any especially important items.
- Keep your fine jewelry, emergency cash, and any other much-loved possessions in unexpected locations.
- A home safe may be better for your needs than a safe-deposit box is, maybe one you can hide in the wall or anchor to the floor
Don’t leave a ladder in the yard. Someone could pretend to be a contractor or handyman, and might attempt to use your ladder to enter your balcony or to get inside by a second-floor window.
Secure your air conditioning unit. You don’t want a thief to get inside through an unsecured window, so apply an air-conditioner bracket, some corner braces, or a sliding window lock.
Post warning signs and stickers. It may sound silly, but it can actually help to put an insignia or a sign from a security company on each window and/or close to each exterior door ~ even if you don’t really have a security system. You might also decide to put up a “No Trespassing” or “Beware of Dog” sign.
Effectively use your lights. Install outdoor lighting with infrared motion detectors next to each of your doors. Motion detector lights discourage potential prowlers. You can even connect them to your smart device, so you will be able to detect any unwelcome activity, and respond immediately. Some respond to fluctuations in sound, light, or temperature. Also, make it a habit to keep some lights on inside anytime you aren’t home.
Install timers. Put timers on your porch lights, so that anytime you’re gone during the day, or if you’ll be out for an extended period, you can make it seem like people are still at home. You can also attach timers to your TVs, radios, and computers. If you have a smart device connected to your timers, you will be able to monitor and control everything that happens using a mobile app, so you can make it look like your home is occupied the whole time you’re away.
Additional Ways to Optimize Your Home Security
There are many other ways to augment your home’s security. Some will take a bit more effort, but depending upon your circumstances, they may still fit in your budget. To find out more about the options available, if you’re any place in Federal Way, Washington, consider scheduling a free consultation with a mobile residential locksmith specialist on staff at a reputable company such as Federal Way Washington Locksmith.
Upgrade your locks. Any professional locksmith will tell you that deadbolts provide optimum security. Get yourself a grade-2 deadbolt lock, which penetrates the doorframe.
Smart or digital locks are electronic devices that give you increased security at your front door. Some smart locks can even be synchronized with your smart device, so you won’t ever have to carry a house key with you again.
Reinforce your doors. Inspect your exterior entry points. A hollow door is of lower quality, which makes it easier to break in. Thus it’s best to replace it with a solid door that’s made of metal or wood.
Examine your back- and front-door locks. If any locks have weaknesses, fortify them by replacing the strike plate (that is, the stationary piece where the bolt enters), and by mounting an extra solid-metal plate on the doorjamb for the sliding bolt. If you now have short mounting screws, you should replace them with longer screws, which will reach the door’s studs, adding solidity to the doorframe.
Do you have any sliding-glass doors? You can secure them much more effectively by placing a cut-to-size wooden dowel, or an adjustable safety bar, inside the floor track. You can add a floor bolt, too.
Install surveillance cameras. Surveillance cameras will keep you aware of all that’s happening around the perimeter of your property, so you can call the authorities right away should you notice any sign of foul play. You can purchase an excellent-quality surveillance camera if you want to record video footage. Depending on your budget and requirements, you can add more high-tech security features.
Install state-of-the-art home automation. If you have more money in your wallet, you can monitor all your home’s activities using a smart app. It’s possible to manage your entire household when you install a smart alarm system. From mimicking your routine habits, to monitoring all activities anytime you wish, even while you’re not there, your property almost takes care of itself! If anything suspicious occurs, you’ll be notified by an alert on your smart device. With a smart home security system like this, you’ll enjoy extraordinary safety and security.