Whether building a new home or remodeling an old one, with the onset of new in-depth technology, there are more options to keep your home safe and sound than ever before. Vigilance and preparation can go a long way when it comes to security. What can you do to mitigate risks and keep your home and family as safe as possible?
Robert Hessel is author of Safe City: From Law Enforcement to Neighborhood Watches, is president of Source 1 Solutions Inc., and has more than 20 years of experience as a security & safety analyst. He offers these eight tips to help homeowners keep their families safe in the coming decades:
– Conduct a vulnerability assessment. This safety tip requires you to actually case your home with the mindset of a criminal. Put yourself in their shoes and try to think of vulnerabilities you may have available to a burglar. What are the easiest entrance points? Your security strategy is as strong as your weakest link. Don’t leave spare keys in easy to find places. Open windows and unlocked doors are open invitations for criminals to enter.
– Keep your home under lock and key. Lock up before you leave your home. Regardless of how long you will be gone it is best to fully lock up anyway. There are endless options for locks on the marketplace. Find locks that contain the three basics: durability, key control and physical strength. Contemplate placing deadbolts on side doors and patio entrances as well. These doors are often easier to break into than the hyper-secure front door.
– Make sure you have safer doors. Strong locks are worthless unless you have tough doors and door frames. Upgrade the securing point of your lock and plate system to a four-screw, reinforced strike plate. For the actual door, solid wood, steel-wrapped wood-core or metal doors are harder to break through than most. Don’t forget to add peepholes to verify the identity of visitors before you open the door.
– Safer windows are a must. Find locks for your windows rather than latches. This creates stronger security and leaves them less susceptible to break ins. Install drapes, blinds and shades to prevent prying eyes from scoping out an entrance point. Above all else, do not leave windows open when you are not home. This is the easiest invitation for a burglar.
– Fix blind spots in landscaping. Unsecured ground floor windows become even more vulnerable when guarded by overgrown vegetation that can conceal suspicious activity. Keep hedges trimmed to around waist level and cut tree limbs to avoid steps into second-story windows and terraces. Take it one step further and plant thorny and sharp plants to inhibit any plans for hiding from burglars.
– Have better, safer lighting. Keep burglars at bay with the presence of lighting in your yard and patio areas. Eliminate shadows and dark areas with proper illumination. Flood lights are a perfect option because they provide a wide area of expansion with motion detection that can inhibit intruders. Set inside lights to timer-activation to make it appear as though there is a presence in the home at particular times of vacancy.
– Be a good neighbor. The best security measures can sometimes be beyond technology and in the hands of your neighbors. Get to know those in your community and watch each other’s homes when you can. A close-knit group of neighbors can create their own mini-neighborhood watch by staying vigilant.
– Install a professional security system. Alarm systems only work if they are installed effectively by a professional. Motion detectors and security cameras are wonderful deterrents for criminal behavior on your property. Live feeds are now available for viewing on your smartphone. Be sure to have a knowledgeable person install the system and avoid any mishaps and vulnerabilities.
Need help securing your world? Please visit: https://mysource1solutions.com/