5 must-have home security basics for families.
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Keeping your home secure is imperative, especially in this day in age. Making sure that your home is secure will help to keep your belongings safe and your family safe. There are many steps that you can take to ensure your safety.
Keys
Keep a list of who has keys to your home. Typically, you will only have family members that have keys to your home, but if you have service providers, they may have a key to your home to do maintenance and other things for you. Periodically check your list and make sure that they are still working for you. If they are not, call them and ask for your key back. If you cannot get ahold of them, you may be safer going ahead and replacing your locks just in case.
Fencing
Fencing your yard is a great idea. Not only does it give you security, but it also gives you privacy. There are many fencing options out there, including stylish aluminum fences. You will need to take your time and choose the fencing that you like the best. If you install a fence in your yard, you can lock the access gate.
Inspect your locks
You will want to periodically inspect your home and make sure that all the locks work. This includes not only your door locks but your windows too. Check your side doors and also check the locks on your garage or outbuilding. If you find a lock that is not functioning correctly, you should replace that lock. Replacing the lock and ensuring that everything is locking as it should help to protect your home.
If you do need to replace your locks, you should make sure that you are only using quality locks. Do not go to the store and get the cheapest you can find as these can easily be broken into. Read reviews and ensure that you are only getting locks that work well and stand up well. Once you have your locks, have the keys always stored in a secure location. Never have extra keys lying around for anyone to snatch up.
Add outside lighting
When a thief looks at your home, they look for windows and doorways that are not lit well. That way, they can hide and gain entrance to your home. Placing motion detector lights in these low lit areas will help to protect your home. You will want to ensure that the lights are high wattage to ensure that the area is lit well, especially if you have a lot of trees and shrubs in the area. When these detector lights come on, intruders will have a hard time hiding and will leave quickly.
It is also a good idea to have lighting around your garage and any pathways around your house. If you are worried about the cost of these lights and that they might run your power bill up, you can always opt for solar lighting. There are several motion lights out on the market today that will light up an area well after charging in the sun all day.
Get an alarm system
If you want to have a high level of security at your home, you should consider getting an alarm system. There are many types of alarm systems out there. You can have security camera monitoring that alerts you when there is an intruder, and you can get alarms that sound when someone tries to enter your home. These alarms can be loud enough to let the neighbors know something is wrong, and they can report directly to the police department. You can purchase alarm systems that you can do yourself, or you can get an alarm system company to come out to install the alarms for you. If you do choose a company, you will want to make sure that the company is highly reviewed and reputable. You will want to make sure that they include monitoring of all your doors and windows.
Keeping your home safe from intruders should be one of your number one priorities. Consider installing a security system, fencing, lighting, inspecting your locks, and keeping up with who has keys to your home to ensure the safety of your home and everyone in your home.