According to FBI statistics, a break-in occurs every 26 seconds in the United States. As 66 percent of these burglaries affect residential properties, home security is an important safety measure to consider.
Having the right security features in place can help protect your home and family from burglary, home invasions, fire and other dangerous situations. To get started, here are a few basic home security tips.
1. Always Lock Up the House
Depending on where you live and the perceived safety of your neighborhood, it’s common not to properly lock up. Yet doors, windows and the garage should always be locked, no matter how long you will be away.
Make it a habit to completely lock up the house before bed and before leaving for work in the morning. Even while at home, doors should be locked at all times.
Discuss the topic of security with the whole family. Everyone should know how to keep the house protected. By making it a common household rule to lock all entryways, you can help prevent mistakes.
2. Invest In a Security System
A reliable home security system is a great way to detect any disturbances while you’re away or asleep. It can also add an extra level of protection by alerting emergency services of any suspicious activity. Property cameras can detect any movement and record it, while some security systems set off an alarm when motion is detected to deter a burglar from targeting your home.
With any smart security system, you need to have a secure Wi-Fi network to ensure it cannot be easily hacked and disabled. A few ways to keep your network security safe include:
- Using strong passwords with a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
- Turning off the WPS Setting (Wi-Fi Protected Set Up), which allows people to join your network without the password.
- Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep personal information hidden.
- Renaming routers and networks from the default settings, which can often be found with an online search.
3. Light Up the Property
Potential intruders are often deterred by someone being home and will likely not target occupied properties. Always keeping a light on is an easy way to give off this illusion. Consider installing smart bulbs, so you can control the lights from your phone from anywhere.
Having proper lighting both inside your home and in the yard can help you see any suspicious activity at night. If you’re worried about using too much electricity, install motion activated lights or set lights on a timer.
4. Meet Your Neighbors
Get to know the people living closest to you. Having a good relationship with your neighbors can be helpful if you are going away or leaving the house for an extended period of time. This way, they can keep an eye on your home and alert you of any suspicious activity.
Also let a trusted neighbor know if you’re expecting any deliveries, so they can better gauge whether or not a person should be approaching your property while you’re away.
To learn more about the security packages available for our custom communities, contact By Carrier today!