Security concerns are a growing trend among modern homeowners. Unfortunately, unless you are privileged enough to live in a gated community, you could potentially be the victim of a security breach. It’s important as a new homeowner to make sure that the place you’re moving into is safe and secure. Family concerns should be motivation enough to understand this point, but sometimes a security breach isn’t as lofty or as damaging.
A security breach can sometimes mean the ineffectual handling of important documents, therefore leading to identity fraud. It can mean having items of value stolen from your garage or garden, or it can mean you’re a victim of vandalism. Fortunately, while such cases are relatively rare in suburbia, it’s important to understand that you never know who is around, and what their intentions are.
It’s instructive to keep on top of your home’s security competence as soon as you move in, and especially as the years pass on. You can bolster your home security with these following, very useful steps. Anyone with less-than-stellar intentions will not only be dissuaded from targeting your property when they see a number of these implemented, but they’ll avoid the home outright.
Fencing
The first step to providing a safe space for your home is to chart the entrances and exits. How could someone access your property without your approval? Are there weaknesses in the outside perimeter? You needn’t make your home into a fortress, but placing a fence around the area can at least dissuade people from coming where they’re not invited.
This fencing should provide adequate protection to all areas of your garden, especially if you wish to allow your children to play there without you having to observe them. Adequate fencing needn’t only stop bad people, but they can stop unruly pets entering your garden from the local neighborhood and, in it’s worse case, injure your children.
Choose a waist-high or head high fence, depending on the level of security you wish to implement. If you want to improve the security, consider placing a spiked pattern around the top of the fence, one that looks relatively unimposing and fits with the style of the fence, but also might stop someone from climbing over.
If you’re concerned with your local area, you might also choose coating anti-climb paint at the top of the fencing unit. Anyone who comes into contact with this will be stuck with a bright pain that is incredibly difficult to wash off. This can help you and the police identify who tried to enter your property without your permission, especially if you’re using:
CCTV
Closed-circuit television can work wonders in preventing people from entering your garden. Any great home security system you can find at an electronics store will allow you to set up a home server that is either recording footage all the time, or activates when motion is detected. This can help you and the police (if they are unfortunately needed) identify those who decide to enter your property against your wishes.
However, a home security CCTV system that covers the main walkways and entrances will mostly serve as a preventative measure. People are much less likely to choose your property if they believe you have adequate home protection, and a camera, even if it isn’t switched on, is a loud clear message that they should avoid your place.
Roofing
Making sure that your home is as secured as it shouldn’t be restricted to on-the-ground awareness. The security and stability of your roofing setup contribute substantially to its safety also. A shoddy, weak roof with rotten shingles will be easy to find weaknesses in. It will also be dangerous for your family while they are underneath it, especially if you have an open-beam setup.
Take a few moments to identify how structurally sound your roofing system is and if you find it lacking, consider commissioning Triumph roofing commercial roofing companies, and get to work immediately. Thieves will use any avenue they can to get into your home, especially if it’s apparent that you’re not in, so be sure to plan for all happenings.
Locks
The main, most reliable method of keeping people out of your home is by purchasing a complete locking system. Locks aren’t what they used to be. The main design of the Yale lock has been around since the 18th century, and for this reason, it can be considered somewhat outdated. A criminal with an interest in entering a property will understand the necessary ways to enter your property without your consent, and this will, of course, include picking your lock.
Check any online retailer such as Amazon, and you’ll see. Lockpicking sets are sold everyday, and what’s more, they’re very cheap. With the right online tutorial, you too could learn how to pick locks. This is why one or two of these Yale locks is nowhere near the correct amount of security you need to protect your home.
Consider implementing bar locks on the inside of your door frame, which allows only you access to the lock while you’re on the inside. For the outside, your best bet is to implement a:
Home Security Alarm
These alarms are useful contraptions to serve as a last-point-of-security if your door locks fail or are otherwise overcome. The alarm box will be able to detect the opening of your door, and begin a timer that will alert your neighbors and maybe even the police if the correct code isn’t punched in by that time.
Make sure your entire family knows the code, and that they never tell a soul. Upon seeing one of these units countdown after entering a property, a prospective thief is much less likely to enter the property as they will be unaware of how long the timer will last.
Floodlights
Floodlights are some of the most important pieces of equipment to make sure that no one enters your property boundaries at night. Night covers all, and it can be difficult for CCTV to detect motion unless you have forked out for a rather expensive night vision camera. Instead, consider installing a floodlight, which will blindingly send out light and make the area even more visible when someone triggers the motion detection.
The last thing a criminal, thief or never-do-well wants is to be seen committing the crime. When the light is triggered, your home CCTV unit can do its work, and get a clear picture of the person invading your property. Even if you live in a quiet property in the countryside, a floodlight can mean that you find your driveway parking limits easier to identify at night, and that’s always very useful.
Neighbors
The most important part of your home security system is having neighbors willing to look out for you if anything suspicious is detected. Strange cars slowly passing outside your house at night, a visitor who seems to linger outside for just a little too long, or people of suspicion known to the police entering your area can all be discussed with your neighbors, but only if you’re good friends with them.
Come to a mutual understanding with those who live near you that you will all contribute to the security and safety of each other’s property, and make sure that everyone is on the same page in this regard. If none of the neighbors communicate, consider starting a ‘neighborhood watch’ program that allows for a community sense to emerge. This can have added benefits, such as letting your neighbors know how to be vigilant around your property when you head on vacation, and vice versa. If nothing else, it will help you feel like you’ve contributed to those living around you.
These tips should all be enacted for the best security. Duly followed, you will have a home relative to a fortress, and you will deter unwanted people from ever thinking about targeting your property.
