As a homeowner, we often don’t spend too much time focusing on protecting the home aside from when it comes time to upgrade your homeowners’ insurance. However, your home is an investment, so it’s very important you take all the precautions you can to keep it fully protected at all times. This is why it’s important to take proactive home security tips to heart and use them to keep your investment safe every day.
Invest in an alarm system.
One of most proactive things you can do for your home is to invest in house alarms. These have become so innovative and intuitive over the past few years that you can do a lot with your system. For instance, your home alarm system will not only warn against intruders, but it can also warn you about fires and/or carbon monoxide. In addition, these systems can contact first responders in the event of an emergency as well, and this can help protect your home more quickly.
Finally, today’s alarm systems are often compatible with a smartphone, which means you can have constant access to your system even if you’re not home.
Use automatic locks.
We live busy lives, and sometimes this means we forget simple tasks, such as locking the door. For this reason, it’s a good idea to invest in an automatic locking door. These systems can be installed in place of your traditional lock. Not only can you lock the door behind you with the push of a button, but you can also set it up to lock automatically after 30 seconds. This way, you never have to worry about locking the door again.
Keep your home occupied.
There are certain things homeowners do that make your home a target for crime. For instance, if your house is always dark when you’re not home, or if you let mail or newspapers pile up when you’re on vacation, this lets criminals know you’re away. Instead, you need to keep your home looking occupied. Invest in light timers so that your interior and exterior lights go on automatically. This way, it looks as if someone is home. In addition, if you are leaving for a trip, be sure to cancel your mail and your newspapers, or ask a friend or family member to stay at the home to collect this for you.
Consider a video system.
Aside from just having an alarm, using an automatic lock, and keep your home looking occupied, you may want to read the latest reviews of home security products and invest in a security camera system. This way, you will always have a view of what’s happening both inside and outside of your home. If anything were to happen, such as a fire or a break-in, you can (hopefully) use this video footage to determine what happened, and this can be instrumental for insurance claims.
Fix easy targets.
Criminals often don’t want to waste time doing something difficult, which is why they tend to target homes that are easy to access. If you have a broken window or door in your home, you’re inviting unwanted guests inside. Make sure you always do what you can to protect your home from the outside, and that includes making regular fixes. If you have home accesses that are dark, it’s also a good idea to also add some lighting to that area to deter criminals from breaking in.
Practice for emergencies.
Nobody wants to be in an emergency situation, but it’s always important to practice this often, especially if you have young children in the house. Be sure everyone knows what to do if the alarm sounds, if there’s a fire in the house, or in the event of a natural disaster. This can help keep your family protected when an emergency strikes.
Being proactive about home safety can help ensure you and your home are always out of harm’s way. Use these tips to keep your home protected.