Your home is the place you feel the most comfortable at. The reason for this comfort is that you feel very safe and secure at your home. Though it isn’t very difficult for this feeling of safety to be hampered by a neighborhood with an increasing crime rate. The homely feeling goes away in an instant and is replaced by insecurity and paranoia. Though with just a few steps in the right direction and some effort you can quickly achieve peace of mind. Let’s have a look at some of the best and easiest ways to make your home secure.
Keep your doors and windows locked
This is probably the most basic advice that you can get on security. As basic as it is, it is also paramount for your safety. Whether you’re in your house or just strolling in the front lawn, you should make sure that all your windows, doors, and any other entrances to your house are locked. Doing so will keep your mind at peace and you can simply enjoy doing whatever you want to. If you can, try to make sure that all the locks and hinges are in proper condition. There’s no point in keeping a fractured padlock to make it easier for a burglar to pry it open.
Keep your valuables out of sight
It will always make sense to keep your valuables hidden and out of sight, somewhere safe. If your area is prone to burglaries then the most you can do is to make sure they don’t get your valuables. Expensive things like jewelry, high-end watches, or even expensive gadgets should never be left out open in your rooms. You’ll probably sleep a little better knowing a burglar can’t do too much damage even if he breaks in.
Know your neighborhood
One of the main benefits of living in a society is that you have each other to look out for. When you shift into a new locality its tradition to meet your neighbor or do the same with someone who has just shifted in. Extending a helping hand works both ways. Making friends in your neighborhood would mean that they can keep a watchful eye on you and can provide help without hesitation. Having friendly assistance can sometimes be the difference between a tragedy and a close shave.
Security Guards
Security guards are quite common nowadays. There are full-fledged companies that train people to be professional security guards who make sure your house is always well protected by a human presence dedicated to keeping out intruders. There are different guards trained to protect different properties. If you don’t really know what type of guards are best suited for your house and locality, then you should visit Smartsecuritypros.com to simplify things for you. Having an armed security guard might just solve every safety problem you can think of.
Light up the area
Keeping the area surrounding your house and your lawn in darkness only invites intruders and bad elements of the society. You make it easier for the burglars to hide in the dark and stay out of sight. Put lights up on all your boundaries and light up the lawn as well. Sensor lights are available easily now which switch whenever they sense any movement. These lights can catch an intruder off-guard and will make them sprint in shock. Sensor lights can be a bit expensive sometimes so normal lights will do equally good. Just make sure that you do not leave any blind spots for a person to hide in.
Walls and Wires
Any house with high walls is comparatively safer. Apart from providing privacy, the walls are a physical barrier between you and the unwanted people. You can always add barbed wire or a fence with spikes to make it near-impossible for anyone to scale the wall. Make sure you add barbed wire or fence on top of gates too as the gates are the weakest link in all boundaries.
Security system
Getting cameras and a security system at your place may cost you a few dollars but it is a very efficient way to secure your home. Cameras and alarms firstly keep intruders at bay. Secondly, even if they do make a move, either they will be caught on camera or they will trip an alarm and alert you. Either way, setting up a tier of security will always work in your favor.
Warning Signs
A very cheap and effective way to keep burglars and intruders away from your house is to put up a warning sign outside your house. A lot of the signs outside houses are just for show but they work equally well. A sign that says “area patrolled by a rottweiler” will certainly make an intruder think twice before taking another step. Thieves would simply not come near your place and would go on to the next house. Similarly having ‘dummy cameras’ installed can also help your cause.
Own a dog
Getting a pet dog can do wonders. A dog can be an amazing companion with all its adorable features and friendly behavior. Though on the other hand, that friendly behavior is mostly just extended to you. A dog can be a very useful element when it comes to making your house secure. If a person comes snooping around your private property a dog can sniff him out or hear him much before you do. Once it starts barking it is enough to make any trespasser back off and not come back. A trained dog will be smart enough to mark his territory and guard it vigilantly. German Shepherds are one of the smartest dog breeds and known to make the best guard dogs for you and your family.
Self-defense weapons
Suppose a thief somehow bypasses all the alarms and security systems and enters your house. The thief can be hostile and can be armed. In such a situation you need to be able to defend yourself with a weapon too. Having a self-defense weapon stored somewhere quickly accessible can change the whole scenario. Tasers, pepper-spray, hand-gun or a pocket-knife are some of the most favored self-defense weapons available and can be purchased from a lot of stores. You should also try to get the proper training to use these weapons confidently and effectively. Having a gun is no use if you don’t know how to take the safety off on time.
Home automation
Home automation systems are those which give you control of a lot of household appliances on your phone or tablet. Some automation systems also work on voice commands. These systems provide you a lot of ease and luxury but can also work as a self-defense weapon against intruders. Just imagine what all you can do to confuse an intruder by controlling the doors, lights, and other things with a click of a button from anywhere in your house. You can seal the whole house down or open an escape route to get out of a tight situation. The possibilities are endless.
Speed-dials
There are some situations where you know you’ll have to get more help to tackle the people who are hampering your safety at home. There can be more than one individual trying to break into your place. Your instant reaction should be to call the nearest police station and friends. Finding the telephone number at such a moment can easily turn things ugly for you. Time is of the essence in such a situation. Having your nearest police station on speed dial can be more effective than dialing 911. Keeping your friends on speed dial, who live nearby, can also be helpful.
Curtains
Having curtains is more important than you imagine. Curtains do more than just keep the sunlight out and maintain your privacy. Curtains keep you safe by constricting the view for anyone unwanted snooping around your place. Keeping your location inside the house unknown is a huge advantage. Also, if a burglar does not get a view inside the house then he won’t know the layout and it might just work in your favor. So it is always advisable to purchase thick and heavy curtains instead of the light and fashionable ones that are almost see-through.
Toughened glass
You probably haven’t considered how dangerous it is to have a glass door or window made with normal glass. Normal glass can shatter easily with the slightest force and a professional thief can shatter glass without making too much noise. You should always invest in a toughened glass if you want to keep the glass doors and windows. Toughened glass has 6 times the durability of normal glass and does not shatter easily. It is almost impossible to crack toughened glass panes without making noise.
Feeling safe has a lot to do with calling a place in your home. It is your responsibility to make sure your house is safe to live in. Following these tips can secure your house and can ensure you the pleasantness and warmth that is supposed to be offered by a home.
