Home Security

How to protect your home from burglary

How to protect your home from burglary?

We are in the middle of summer and holidays make us leave our homes to enjoy a few days away from the routine. We leave our home, and this does not have to be a problem, but there is always a real disappointment: thefts. Thieves can take advantage of the chance. That we are out to sneak in and take everything they can. In addition to having a home theft insurance. It is interesting to put into practice these tips on how to protect your home from burglary to protect the house.

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Easy and Effective Ways to Boost Home Security

With crime rates at an all-time high, many homeowners are looking for ways to improve their home security. There are a number of security systems on the market that help to add a bit of protection to property and families and many of these are very affordable and easy to install. In addition to security systems, however, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind that will help to make your home a bit less accessible to intruders.

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Three Easy Ways to Beef Up Home Security

In my opinion, family safety should come before anything in your life. My daughter’s well-being specifically, is bar-none, the most important thing in my life. I wish I could work from home, so I would know she is safe at all times, but I’m not able to work from the home office and thus, my daughter has become a latchkey kid of sorts.

Until a burglar breaks into your home, you’ll never know what true terror feels like. Trust me, you don’t want to be in a position where you’re frightened for your family’s safety because you didn’t do all you could to protect them. While you probably aren’t interested in making your home a demilitarized zone, there’s no such thing as too much home security. Here are three easy security measures to take to ensure the safety and comfort of your family.

Install Security Cameras

An increasingly common security measure taken at home, installing security camera systems is one of the first measures you should take to beef up your home security. These cameras, many of which stream HD footage, will allow you to record every face of every person who approaches your property. While it is recommended to install security cameras to cover the perimeter of your home, even if you were to only install cameras outside of your exterior doors, you will still vastly improve your family’s safety.

One incredible feature of many of the security cameras on today’s market is that they allow you to stream their feed to your personal computer, allowing you to view your feed from virtually anywhere with internet access, without requiring you to purchase additional monitors to receive the feed. Installing automatic outdoor lights to go with your security cameras will scare off many potential burglars while catching those dumb enough to attempt to break in on your camera’s feed.

Replace Door Locks

This may seem basic, but installing new door locks is one of the easiest DIY security measures you can take. With two main types of door locks to choose from, we must know the pros and cons of each. Single-cylinder door locks come with a knob that requires a key to lock and unlock from the exterior, with a hand knob on the interior handle that allows you to lock the door with the push of a button or twist of a switch.

Double-cylinder locks, on the other hand, provide more a more secure lock, as these require a key to lock and unlock the door from both the interior and exterior. This is a great security measure, as a robber cannot simply break the glass in your front door and twist the lock to open the door. However, the main negative about double-cylinder locks is that they can pose a real safety threat in the event of a house fire. If you live with small children, these locks may not be the best, as your attention will be on your children should you need to run from a fire in your home.

Another lock that is an absolute must to install on your exterior doors is a deadbolt. Deadbolt locks provide you and your family greater protection than standard door locks and should be amongst the first home security purchases you make. Longer and thicker than standard door locks, deadbolts lock directly into your door frame and typically are one to two inches in length. These deadbolt locks are designed to take more pressure from any potential burglar and make it much more difficult for a burglar to break into your home. But remember, you get what you pay for, so make sure you aren’t buying the cheapest lock options available.

Replace your Windows

Not only will replacing your home’s windows add value to your home and make your home greener but did you know that installing new windows can deter burglars from attempting to break into your home? Often times, your first-story windows are a point of entry for a burglar, meaning you can’t rely on single-pane windows to provide the protection your family deserves. Not only will new windows add to your family’s safety, but when coupled with a locking system for your windows, you’re ensuring that any burglar who wants to come through your window is going to have one heck of a time, and will most likely give up, knowing you’ve beefed up your home security.

5 Easy Tips For Protecting Your Home While On Vacation

Keeping your home safe while you’re on vacation is important, both for your peace of mind, as well as for protecting your valuables. Homes are targeted in 70% of burglaries and there are some simple steps you can take to protecting your home while on vacation.

A home security system is far and away the best protection you can have for your home while out on vacation, and cheaper than hiring Oakland security guards from First Security Services. There is simply no substitute for alarm monitoring and dispatch when a potential burglary occurs. Studies have shown that homes with a security system in place are three times less likely to have a break-in than those without.

That doesn’t mean all of your personal items are in danger of being stolen if you decide to take a vacation and don’t have an alarm system. Here are five easy steps you can take to protect your home while on vacation or extended leave.

1. Avoid obvious signs of vacationing
This includes posting about your vacation on Facebook, allowing mail or newspapers to stack up while you’re gone, or just having no lights on in an empty house. These are all things that can be leveraged by a burglar. If no one is available to check on your house while you’re gone, it’s easy to put your newspaper subscription and mail on hold.

2. Don’t broadcast your vacation
This should be a no-brainer, yet people consistently get victimized by this tactic. Leaving a message on your answering machine that you’ll be gone for two weeks is a bad idea, as is posting your status on social media. These are both cues used by criminals for finding potential targets.

3. Use timers for interior and exterior lights
One of the best theft and burglar deterrents you can use is light. Lights and lamps that go on based on a timer give a very strong signal to potential criminals. It’s common knowledge in the security industry that lights or even the flicker of a television can be enough to cause a burglar to choose a different target. Timers or motion detectors are a good idea for outdoor lights.

4. Secure valuable items
Don’t leave any valuables in plain sight. Ideally, you should use a safe or safe deposit box to keep your valuables safe while you’re gone.

5. Don’t leave spare keys unattended
Maybe you think stashing an extra key under a doormat or on top of the porch light is a good backup, but that is the first place a burglar is likely to look. Make sure that any spare key is in the hands of someone you trust and not just hidden somewhere in your yard.