Home Security Basics
At some point, we all learn that there's more to safety than just locking your front door.
But where to begin when you're thinking about taking care of your own home? Maybe you're a first-time homeowner, or a recent rash of burglaries has you thinking about protecting yourself and your family more than ever before.
That's great news--if you're already trying to find solutions to the problem before it personally effects your home, you might never have to deal with the headache and heartache that a home invasion can cause.
Many simple steps can help drastically decrease your chance of a break-in.
For starters, you know that spare key you have under the welcome mat? Get rid of that.
If you're going to have a spare key, hide it someplace more secure, like inside the glove compartment of your car, or somewhere far away from welcome mats or potted plants.
Even if you're enjoying a breeze and want to keep your house feeling fresh while you head to the store, it's best to close and lock all doors and windows anytime you're not going to be home.
If you're going to be away from your home for extended periods of time, placing a broom handle or yard stick so that large windows and sliding doors cannot be forced open is advisable, too.
Another huge part of home security is making your house appear stable and threatening to would-be crooks.
Extensive outdoor lights, preferably attached to motion detectors, are a great help in diminishing the ability for people to creep around outside after dark.
Putting the indoor lights on a timer is also a good idea, if only to make it appear that someone is always home when you might be out late or on a short vacation.
It's also widely believed that putting home alarm system stickers and signs prominently on your residence is a huge help.
Whether or not it's true, crooks usually don't like to mess with residences where there could be an alarm, and are more apt to seek out another home that's not advertising its security.
Of course, if you're going to put out the stickers and the signs, you might as well take it one step further and invest in a home security system.
An excellent resource for finding out which one is the best fit for your home is the local police or fire department, who will have guidance for companies they recommend.
Homeowners can choose between an alarm-only system or a monitored system, which makes it easier for the police to quickly arrive, and often comes with a panic button option, where hitting a button that you wear around your neck or keep in a secure place can trigger the alarm if you're at home and nothing happens that would trigger the regular system.
An alarm system in combination with following the previous suggestions for home security greatly reduces your risk of any sort of break-in, which in turn provides a peace of mind that's pretty much priceless.
But where to begin when you're thinking about taking care of your own home? Maybe you're a first-time homeowner, or a recent rash of burglaries has you thinking about protecting yourself and your family more than ever before.
That's great news--if you're already trying to find solutions to the problem before it personally effects your home, you might never have to deal with the headache and heartache that a home invasion can cause.
Many simple steps can help drastically decrease your chance of a break-in.
For starters, you know that spare key you have under the welcome mat? Get rid of that.
If you're going to have a spare key, hide it someplace more secure, like inside the glove compartment of your car, or somewhere far away from welcome mats or potted plants.
Even if you're enjoying a breeze and want to keep your house feeling fresh while you head to the store, it's best to close and lock all doors and windows anytime you're not going to be home.
If you're going to be away from your home for extended periods of time, placing a broom handle or yard stick so that large windows and sliding doors cannot be forced open is advisable, too.
Another huge part of home security is making your house appear stable and threatening to would-be crooks.
Extensive outdoor lights, preferably attached to motion detectors, are a great help in diminishing the ability for people to creep around outside after dark.
Putting the indoor lights on a timer is also a good idea, if only to make it appear that someone is always home when you might be out late or on a short vacation.
It's also widely believed that putting home alarm system stickers and signs prominently on your residence is a huge help.
Whether or not it's true, crooks usually don't like to mess with residences where there could be an alarm, and are more apt to seek out another home that's not advertising its security.
Of course, if you're going to put out the stickers and the signs, you might as well take it one step further and invest in a home security system.
An excellent resource for finding out which one is the best fit for your home is the local police or fire department, who will have guidance for companies they recommend.
Homeowners can choose between an alarm-only system or a monitored system, which makes it easier for the police to quickly arrive, and often comes with a panic button option, where hitting a button that you wear around your neck or keep in a secure place can trigger the alarm if you're at home and nothing happens that would trigger the regular system.
An alarm system in combination with following the previous suggestions for home security greatly reduces your risk of any sort of break-in, which in turn provides a peace of mind that's pretty much priceless.
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