DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE
YOUR HOME SECURITY?
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!
We all want a safe and secure place to call home ~ a private sanctuary where everybody can relax inside in peace. If you’d like extra peace of mind, it’s essential to make sure your household is effectively safeguarded. Start by checking to see whether all your locks are working, and periodically be on the lookout for any vulnerabilities in your exterior doors. Furthermore, always thoroughly monitor what’s going on around your property. It’s not as difficult as you might think to have exceptional security no matter where you live. Consider the following easy steps, and you’ll be on your way to efficiently enhancing your home’s security:
Be a good neighbor. Become acquainted with your neighbors, at least on each side, as well as a few across the street. Communicate occasionally. Establish trust. Good neighbors watch out for each other. You don’t have to be friends; simply be friendly. A good neighbor will keep an eye on your place while you’re gone. Some might even collect your mail, water your lawn, or help in other small ways to make it look like you’re at home. Return the favor when given the opportunity.
Have the family agree to some general rules.
- Don’t answer the door unless you know the person. (Install a peephole if you don’t have one already.)
- Store your valuables in uncommon places.
- Lock doors and windows before turning in, any anytime you’re away.
DIY. When you’re vigilant about spotting potential flaws in your security, then your property will be less appealing to a burglar. No home is completely impervious, but there numerous ways you can thwart criminal trespass.
Store your garage-door remote and keys sensibly. It’s a lousy idea to keep your remotes and keys next to a door that has any glass, or to any door close to a window, evident to anyone able to peek in. Hide them inside a drawer, or on hooks mounted inside a cupboard door, instead.
Don’t keep a “hidden” spare key outside. Don’t leave an extra key above the door, beneath the mat, or under the flower pot. That’s right where a thief will check. A phony rock keyholder might be an attractive alternative, but a criminal with knowhow will likely already know what it looks like. It’s much better to give a copy of your key to a trusted friend or neighbor.
Fortify your doors. Examine the quality of your exterior doors. A hollow door is susceptible to break-in, so replace it with a solid-core door made of metal or wood. Strengthen your doors’ locks by replacing the strike plate ~ the stationary piece where the bolt goes in ~ and by mounting a solid metal plate on the doorjamb for the sliding bolt. Replace any short mounting screws with screws that are longer, which reach the door’s studs reinforcing the doorframe.
Upgrade weak or worn-out locks. Trustworthy professional locksmiths will tell you that deadbolts always provide outstanding security. Be sure to get a grade-2 deadbolt, which penetrates the doorframe. Moreover, digital or smart locks provide an additional layer of security. With some, you can connect your locks to your smart device, and you’ll never have to use a key again.
Bolster your air-conditioner. Install a sliding window lock, corner braces, or a bracket, so that an intruder can’t enter through an unsecured opening.
Secure your windows and any glass doors. Any open window will attract a prowler. First-floor windows are riskier, but upper-floor windows are tempting to an intruder as well. A cat burglar can enter by tree, balcony, fence, or ladder. Therefore, you should use a blocking device, such as a wooden dowel, on each window. This will prevent a person on the outside from sliding it open. Make sure you can remove these window-blocking devices from the inside easily, so in case of fire anyone inside will be able to leave quickly.
For horizontally sliding aluminum windows, and ground-level sliding-glass doors, anti-lift devices are required. Install screws half-way into the upper track of the movable glass panel, so a robber can’t lift it out when in the closed position. You can also stick a decal on windows and glass doors, next to the latch mechanism, showing that you’re part of a Neighborhood Watch program, or that you have an alarm system (even if you don’t).
Put ladders away. Don’t leave a ladder in the yard, because a swindler, acting like a contractor or handyman, could use your ladder to enter through a window or balcony.
Protect your garage. Some crooks prefer the relatively easier method of getting in through the garage. Whenever you’re out, keep your garage door closed and locked.
Keep a tidy yard. Trim your trees, hedges, shrubs, and all other plants. If not well spaced, too tall, or too unwieldy, a trespasser will undoubtedly find a hiding place.
Keep the lights in operating condition. Install lights by all the doors, along with motion detectors. Some lights also respond to fluctuations in temperature, daylight, or sound. With some, you can sync the lights to your smart device, which will alert you of anything suspicious, and you can immediately respond even when you’re not home.
Install timers. You can make it seem like you’re at home by putting timers on your lights, sprinklers, radios, and TVs. If you go on vacation, you can connect a smart device using a mobile app, and remotely monitor and control everything.
Install an alarm system. If it fits in your budget, install an alarm system. Teach your family to use it daily. Always keep the batteries charged, so you’ll remain secure even in a power failure. Think about:
- installing a carbon monoxide monitor;
- adding smoke alarms and a fire alarm;
- putting in a moisture monitor in your basement for flood detection;
- putting the whole system on a timer schedule; and
- using a smart device to remotely access the entire system, so that anytime you wish, you can monitor and adjust it.
Hire a professional. If you do find weaknesses in your security, to learn how to remedy each issue, hire a reputable local locksmith company. If you’re in Johns Creek, Georgia, request a free consultation from a superior residential locksmith specialist, such as those on staff at Johns Creek 24/7 Locksmith.