Now that spring has sprung, it is time for you to not only dive into spring cleaning but do your seasonal safety checkup, too. Many home break ins occur during warmer months and the best way to avoid these unfortunate encounters is to effectively prepare your home. The following safety checklist will help homeowners review their security systems to safeguard against criminals.
Doors and Deadbolts
All doors to the exterior should be equipped with a deadbolt instead of a breakable standard lock. Deadbolts require too much time and effort to compromise, which serves as a deterrent to thieves. Hinges should also be as secure as possible, fastened by screws at least two to three inches long. Since hollow doors are easy to break into, doors should be completely solid and reinforced with steel.
Peepholes
A peephole should allow a homeowner to see who is ringing their doorbell. One of the tricks burglars and invaders use to break in is testing response to ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door. They may be just researching how friendly a homeowner is and willing to let them into to the home or they may actually use the open door as a way to break in. A homeowner should always be careful about inviting strangers into their home.
Hiding Places
Burglars often stakeout homes before they strike. Before they break in, they plan out hiding places that could allow them easy entry, especially through entryways that cannot be seen by the public. Homeowners should make sure their properties do not facilitate easy hiding places for daytime burglars. Keeping bushes trimmed around front windows is advantageous so that burglars cannot be hidden from the view of neighbors.
Garages and Sheds
People often forget to check these exterior storage units that tend to store “old junk” or items that do not need to be used in the near future. These forgotten places can invite burglars who dare to snoop for old bicycles, tools and toys. It can also attract more experienced thieves who make their living selling used items at flea markets, garage sales or online marketplaces.
Personal Items
Keeping personal papers and financial documents locked up is good practice, especially if the home is frequently visited by friends and relatives. A fireproof safe deposit box can be the solution to securing this information from curious people who may want to investigate a homeowner’s debt or other financial information. It is best to store the fireproof safe deposit box in an unusual place outside of the room that is the main target for burglars: the master bedroom.
Cameras
Security cameras are essential if valuables are stored in the home. Even when trusted friends and relatives occupy the home, cameras help deter petty theft that might not otherwise be noticed for months. There are several different options for cameras based on budget and technological considerations.
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Traditional low cost home security cameras are hard wired with limited ability to capture images.
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Dome cameras are popular for homes and businesses because they can be smaller and capture a wider view and produce higher resolution pictures.
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IR or Infrared cameras produce quality black and white images even without light, but are more expensive.
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IP home security cameras can also be expensive but transmit pictures through wireless networks to remote devices.
Alarms and Mobile Devices
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The reason alarm systems are helpful is that they can directly communicate with local authorities when intruders are present. The police will immediately be notified when a break in occurs and they may be able to catch the intruder in action within minutes of the alert. With a SafeTouch security system and professional monitoring, we guarantee a response time of 45 seconds. This feature is one of many options to make sure a home is as secure as possible. Another option thanks to modern technology is the ability of homeowners to monitor their homes in real time with smartphones while they are away on vacations or business trips.
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There are many different types of security apps that can be downloaded from security providers to monitor unattended homes. Apps have become very important because they can also communicate with sensors that monitor windows, smoke, gas leaks and other potential safety issues. When a window breaks, for example, the vibrations are recorded electronically and a record is kept of the time the incident occurs. Some sensors are designed to detect motion in the room. These alarm systems, usually use an alarm code that activates or deactivates monitoring.
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If you do already have a security system, make sure you put the alarm company’s yard signs and stickers and visible places so burglars will be less tempted to break into your home.