As per a study conducted by the Insurance information Institute, there are higher chances of burglars leaving your house alone, if they are forced to work in light, or spend more time, or make more noise while breaking into your home. That means, if you concentrate on tips for tackling these main home security issues, half your job is done!
Try to burgle your own home! Weird as it may sound, the only way you will actually be able to assess the security lapses will be when you look at your house from a burglar s point of view! You could probably even take home security tips from some house breaking videos on the internet!
Make sure you lock up your home securely even when you are stepping out for a few minutes. For longer absences, there are cheap programmable timers available in the market that can switch on the lights, TV, or radio when you re not around. If you travel frequently, this is great idea so that your home doesn’t look deserted. Also befriend your neighbors and ask them to collect your mail, so that your mailbox doesn’t overflow. Your local post office can also store your mail on your behalf if you instruct them to.
Another important home security tip is to try not to show off any new belongings you acquire, by keeping their empty boxes on the curb outside your home. You are sending out a message to the whole world that you might be having other valuable stuff inside. That s a huge temptation for anyone scouting their next target and you are compromising on your security!
Though your garage protects your car from damage, and probably saves you money on your auto insurance too, it may also be a cause for concern if you do not lock it properly or don t have a good alarm in place. Most of the burglars target the garage as an entry point into the house. Make sure you keep it securely locked at all times.
High trees and dense shrubs around your home make it easier for burglars to hide and can be a security hazard. Keep these neatly trimmed so that your house is clearly visible all around.
A wide angle peephole installed on your front door makes it easier for you to check who s at the door before answering the doorbell. This is more secure than a simple door chain. Also, a deadbolt lock is any day a better security option than any kind of spring latch. What tips the scales in the favor of the deadbolt lock is that a spring latch can easily be undone through loiding by slipping a credit card against the latch tongue which in turn depresses it and opens the door. A deadbolt on the other hand has much lower chances of being disabled. The burglar would need a hacksaw to cut through the door in this case!
Home Security systems are an absolute necessity and you have all kinds available in the market to suit all pockets these days. Invest in those that have infrared motion detection, and easy to install remote controlled door and window break-in sensors. Your local home insurance agent might be able to guide you about what security systems others in your neighborhood usually install in their homes. You ll probably get some credits on your insurance for installing specific ones.
With a burglary taking place in the US every 14.6 seconds, home security is something you simply cannot afford to be casual about. Instead of being just another home burglary statistic, follow these home security tips and take proactive steps today to secure your home and treasured belongings.