It is always important to stay safe and secure. It is too easy to think your home will never be targeted and chances are it won’t. But this shouldn’t mean complacency when it comes to home security. In this article, we’ll be going over a few common sense practices you can do to ensure you and your home are safe and secure.
Sometimes the most obvious things are the things we forget. When you leave your home, always make sure all your doors and windows are closed and locked securely. You don’t want to make it easy for a burglar to just walk in when you have left. An open window is also an obvious invitation to thieves, so make sure you keep them shut, upstairs as well as down. Just because you think it may be out of reach, doesn’t mean it will be for an experienced criminal. This goes for when you are asleep as well. Make it a regular nighttime routine of checking all the windows are closed, the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn.
If you feel your home is particularly vulnerable, or maybe you have heard there’s been a recent trend of break-ins in your local area, there are some extra measures you can take for added security. Investing in a solid deadbolt lock is a good idea. Simple to install and effective in securing your door; burglars will have an extra hard time breaking in with one installed. On top of this, you can also purchase window and door alarms to activate in case of a break in. It is also good practice to place a small sticker on your window saying they are alarmed. This simple measure will make any intruders think twice. External security lights are also an easy to install and effective measure of deterring thieves.
Your home should ideally always look like it is occupied. Even if you have gone out for the evening, always leave a couple of lights on in the house. This will give the illusion you or someone is at home. If you have a porch light, leave that on while you are away. It will give good visibility to the front of the house, so if you have neighbors keeping an eye out, it will make their jobs a little easier as well.
On top of these measures, there are also some other common sense practices you can do. For instance, never leave valuables exposed, they are an invitation for burglars. This is simply evaded by having your curtains drawn. If you are away, ask a trusted neighbor to come and check on the house every few days. This will ensure post doesn’t pile up, making it obvious you are away. They can also turn lights on and off, giving the illusion the house is occupied. It is never nice when our homes are broken into. By taking simple steps, you can avoid this and ensure peace of mind for you and your home.
