When buying a home, one of the things you need to pay special attention to is security. This includes all of your assets, such as your vehicle, electronics or jewelry, but the most valuable possession you should protect is your family. How well you’ll want to secure your home might depend on the neighborhood you live in, but it’s always better to go a little overboard than to leave cracks for burglars or other types of criminals to use to their advantage. If you aren’t sure how to upgrade your home security, here are some essential suggestions that can serve as an effective foundation for it.
Locks Matter
In order to avoid any loose points in your home security, you should begin with securing all of your doors and windows. First of all, your front and all other exterior doors should have firm door frames and adequate locks. While one strong lock is a good choice, two are better, especially if one of them is a deadbolt lock, and if you have a sliding door anywhere, add some extra protection to it. Before you actually move into a new house or apartment, make sure you change the locks, so that you’re certain nobody has the keys but you. When it comes to windows, you should consider replacing your existing latches with some high-quality window locks, reinforcing the glass itself and perhaps even adding some window bars to stay on the safe side. Finally, regardless of whether you’re home or not, always keep your front door locked and, if you’re unable to monitor the space around them, keep the reachable windows closed even when you’re at home.
Build a Fence
In order to gain control over who enters or even observes your property and when, you should secure it to the best of your ability. One of the basic things you can do is plant some tall bushes around it, so as to keep yourself, your family and your belongings away from curious eyes and unwanted attention. Aside from that, you’ll definitely feel much safer if you install a sturdy fence. For example, putting up a premium aluminum black pool fence can be an excellent solution, as these can be as reliable and durable as they’re esthetically appealing in their simplicity. These would increase your home safety and show the clear boundaries of your front and back yard, so that any intruders stay as far away as possible.
Keep It Bright
If you turn your lights off every time you’re out, it makes it clear that your home is empty, which can be considered an invitation by burglars, vandals or maniacs. Therefore, make it one of your priorities to keep your outdoor lighting work for you. This doesn’t only apply to your porch, front and backyard, but also any detached or other types of structures you might have on your property, such as a shed or a garage. Furthermore, it would probably be wise to light up your pathways. Not only would that make you more comfortable as you’re approaching your front door at night, but it can also provide you with the visibility necessary to spot a person lurking around your home. It could be wise to opt for motion-activated lights, since those can be unnerving enough to turn an attempted intruder away. Nowadays it’s also possible to get a smart outlet, so that your lights turn on an off on a timer, making it appear you’re in even when you actually aren’t. Also, something as simple as leaving the light on in one or two of your rooms can make it look that there’s somebody at home, which can be a sure sign for any burglar to skip your home.
Get an Alarm System
With a wide range of systems available to choose from, it’s truly not that difficult to find something that fits your budget and suits your home. A top-of-the-line alarm system will usually include cameras, which are useful in more than one way. They will record and let you oversee whatever goes on in and around your home, but they will also serve as a warning to anybody with ill intentions, letting them know you’ve got eyes on them. If that doesn’t work, you can expect the sound of your alarm to chase away burglars instead. Once the alarm goes off, it will wake you up if you’re asleep and it will surely alert your neighbors. Even if none of these are efficient enough in keeping burglars and thieves away, you’ll still have footage of whoever tried to enter your home or steal the packages delivered to your porch. Such cameras can also be used to observe your home in real time using an app on your phone or another device, wherever you are. Moreover, you can control a variety of devices in your home remotely, including your smoke alarms and your lights. To top it off, an alarm system can be programmed to call the authorities if there’s a break-in, which could prove to be quite practical, especially if you go on a vacation and your home will be empty for a while.
There are many steps you can take to enhance the security of your property and people living on it. These are just some of them, but they can be a fantastic start for you and your family to stay safe in your living space.