September 22, 2020 by Anas Mustafa
Your home is the number one place where you want to feel safe and secure. According to crime statistics for the US last year, there’s a slight decline in burglaries yearly.
While it’s excellent news for your peace of mind, you should always remain cautious. This piece explores five critical things to be aware of for your home safety and security. Use it as a checklist to ensure you’re well guarded.
How easily can someone access your property? Do you have a boundary fence or wall in place to deter potential intruders? If not, an alarm is your best bet to control entry and exits.
It will help if you fit your home with a security system that requires a secret passcode to deactivate it. The best practice would be to have a master code that only one person can control.
Add a unique code for guests, your service staff, and maintenance teams that may need to come into specific areas. You can set it up so you do it yourself, and won’t need to call the security company to help each time it needs an update.
You can have a basic system to suit your budget or go all out with top-notch security cameras and live surveillance. What matters is that you know who comes into your space and why.
Consider visibility from the road and surrounding area into your property. If someone can monitor your movements, you may need to reduce the chances of tempting intruders.
Don’t place high-value items in plain sight. This goes for cash, handbags, and jewelry. Lock it away in a secure area when not in use. Weapons like guns should always be stored in a safe.
Visibility also includes your street name and number in case of an emergency. A first responder must be able to locate you without any effort. Check that trees or shrubs don’t obscure it.
Check that your lights in and around your home are sufficient and in working condition. Look at bulbs and switches regularly to ensure fully functional exterior lighting is in place.
Think of coming home at night; is your driveway well lit, and can you get into the house without being vulnerable in the dark? A motion-sensor light is a good option here for the exteriors, like the garage and garden area.
You can install timers on your light to switch on when you’re not at home. Smart home technology makes it easy to control from an app on your mobile device.
Connect with your community and become part of the local neighborhood watch. It’ll inform and update you about risks and incidents in your area and the bigger region. It’s an ideal way to connect, share news, and build a safe environment.
Besides, it’s best to know who lives next door and across the road from you too. A so-called ‘nosy’ neighbor is an asset when it comes to keeping an eye on your possessions. Plus, you can return the favor also and help create a safer society.
It’s essential to know what to do in an emergency. Have a list of all the critical contacts in life-threatening emergencies like a fire or an armed robbery. Check that everyone in the household knows who to call and how to raise the alarm.
What happens when no one is home? You should ideally also have smoke detectors installed as part of your home security plan. Remember to test and check that these are fully functional too.
You shouldn’t live in fear, but it pays to have a proper safety plan and think ahead. Check that you’ve got the basics like access control and visibility covered. Think of how you operate in the daytime and at night, then adjust your security measures to suit.
Get to know your community and be a good neighbor too. Preempt possible emergencies and be prepared. Awareness is one step closer to avoiding danger.
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