8 Home Security Tips
With more than 45 years of experience in the home and business security industry, here are our top eight tips for discouraging intruders and burglars from targeting your home.
1. Create the illusion that someone is at your house.
If you are going to be gone for an extended time, leave a light or TV on in a room near the front door or other entry points like side doors or first-floor windows. You also can use exterior lighting and exterior motion lights to minimize places where a burglar could easily hide. There are a lot of ways to Vacation-Proof Your Home.
2. Make sure all exterior doors have reliable locks.
Install 1-inch deadbolt locks on all exterior doors and lock all doors before leaving your home or going to bed. Replace the ½” screws provided with the dead bolt strike plate with 2 ½ – 3” screws.
3. Double check before opening the door.
Always check to see who is at the door before opening the door. Install a peephole if needed or consider purchasing a video doorbell system.
4. Hide the spare keys.
Spare keys are a fantastic way to have an added level of access to your home in case you get locked out or lose a key. However, intruders are likely to peek under a doormat or to spot a fake rock. Give your spare key to a neighbor or close friend that you can trust.
5. Secure your sliding glass doors.
Growing up we used a 3/4” dole rod in the door; when I became an adult, I learned that rod wouldn’t stop anyone. Use a metal spring-loaded bar in the middle of the door.
6. Keep the garage doors closed.
Your garage door leads directly into your home, so it is important to keep it closed even when you are at home. Your garage door can be connected to your home security system by using a garage door contact, such as a magnetic switch.
7. Hide cash and expensive items.
Keep cash and high dollar items in a safe place, such as a locked box in a child’s toy chest or on a bookshelf. If possible, keep these items in a safe with a secure lock.
8. Ladders and trash cans
Ladders and trash cans can be used by intruders to enter your home. For that reason, these types of items are best kept out of sight and away from the side of your home. You can keep trashcans and ladders in your garage or lock them to your fence.
Home security systems are easier and more accessible than ever before. Installing a system can keep your home and the ones you love safe, even when you can’t be there. Home security can be automated and accessed from your smartphone. Some of our clients love the ability of being able to quickly lock a door if they forgot on their way to soccer practice or turn on the lights when your kid gets home from school. Even if you are not in the mood to get off the couch, you can open your phone and see who is at your door. Using these practical safety tips along with a home security system are important tools to keep your home secure.
If you are interested in learning more and want to talk to our friendly team of experts, give us a call!
Explore Our Other Blogs
Types of Fire Alarm Systems
How Does a Fire Alarm Work? Fire alarm systems have two main functions: Alert the occupants of a building to a fire emergency enabling a safe evacuation Notify firefighters of the fire emergency. Options for Fire Alarms Manual Fire Alarms Manual fire alarms, also known as manual pull stations, are a way for people to alert…
5 Common Causes of Commercial Fires
Many business owners and employees think their chances of dealing with a fire in the workplace are improbable, but the numbers tell a different story. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 116,500 commercial fires were reported nationally in 2021. These fires contributed to 115 deaths, 1,025 injuries, and over $3.6 billion in…
The Cost of Professional Security Monitoring vs. Self-Monitoring
We recently talked about the various codes required for your security and fire protection systems. We also talked about why monitoring is vital as part of a business’s fire safety system—mainly because the code may require it. This blog will address the pros and cons of self-monitoring your business’ entire alarm system versus the cost of professional security monitoring. First, what is the difference between the two? Professional vs. Self…
How Commercial Security Monitoring Benefits Your Business During Quarantine
Instating work from home policies to protect your employees and help to stop the potential spread of COVID-19 is one step that organizations are taking to keep their company safe. But, with all your employees at home, how can you protect the other assets that make up your business? Regardless of the type of company…
Will Renter’s Insurance Give a Discount if You Have a Security System?
Home invasions or burglaries are a threat to any household, regardless of where they are located. One of the biggest deterrents for burglars is a home security system that could record evidence of their actions or could notify the authorities at the time of a break-in. This is a huge motivator for homeowners when deciding…
What the POTS Line Phase-Out Means for Life Safety Systems
When businesses hear about the POTS line phase-out, they often think only of desk phones. In reality, traditional copper phone lines have supported a much wider range of building systems, including fire alarms, security systems, elevator phones, and more. As carriers continue moving away from copper infrastructure, those connections may become more expensive, less reliable,…
How Poor Security Can Cost Your Business
Poor security practices have hidden costs With the many expenses that business owners must juggle for day-to-day operations, security often falls by the wayside. Even though it seems like an easy way to save money, the cost of handling a break-in can surpass the money you’d spend on installing and maintaining a security system. Here…
Fire Safety Procedures for the Workplace
The bad news—a fire breaks out in your workplace. The good news—you are ready because you have done your homework and prepared for the possibility of an emergency. Emergency Action Plan The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires most employers to have an emergency action plan for various scenarios, including fires in the workplace. There are…
Vacation-Proof Your Home
When planning a vacation, you are almost always considering what clothes to pack or booking a place to stay. But while you are away, you need to make sure that your home will be safe from burglars or thieves who may target an empty home. Before you pack up and leave for your vacation, there…
How to Make Your Business’s Fire and Security Systems ADA Compliant
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was created to stop discrimination against and to ensure the rights of people with disabilities. It serves as an equal opportunity law for people with disabilities, defined as “physical or mental impairment that substantively limits one or more major life activities.” For businesses, the ADA means that the services…