Easy and affordable ways to protect your family home.
Photo by Binyamin Mellish
One of the main goals of a homeowner is to keep the property safe. Not only is this to protect the residence itself but also for your family. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend several thousands of dollars to do so. Here are some easy & affordable ways to protect your family home.
An alarm system
Purchasing an alarm system isn’t as expensive as you might think. Many companies offer packages where they perform a free installation of their products. In exchange, you set up a monthly monitoring subscription. This adds an extra protection level for your family as the authorities can respond if the alarm is tripped while you’re gone.
Doorbell camera
A doorbell camera doesn’t cost much to install and is easy to operate. The advantage of this security tool is it allows you to see what’s going on outside from various locations. For instance, you can view images through your computer or mobile device. Thus, you have the power to check on your home from anywhere. Additionally, a doorbell camera ensures your family is safe when you aren’t there. It shows people coming and going from your home as well as family members leaving and returning. So, if you’re concerned about your child returning from an outside event, you can set an alert when they return home.
Eliminate hiding spaces
Although secluded spaces are great for a game of hide-and-seek they aren’t when it comes to the protection of your family home. So, look for ways to make these spaces more visible. This could include extra lighting or a separately fenced-off area.
Fencing
A low-tech way to protect your home is with fencing. A small picket fence around your property doesn’t work. You want something that secures your home and provides a sense of privacy. In terms of fencing, you’re probably thinking of the chainlink versions. Although that certainly protects your family home it isn’t that stylish and won’t add as much home value as something that is more aesthetically pleasing. As a substitute, consider aluminum fencing to enhance and protect your property.
Local outlets and online locations create gates and fence panels in a variety of styles. Many of them transform your property into an elegant showplace. Furthermore, they’re designed to deter malicious individuals from climbing over the panels or in-between the slats.
Secure your doors and windows
You can have the best and toughest security system. However, even these don’t stop malicious individuals from breaking into your family home if your doors and windows aren’t secured. Hence, taking care of these areas is mandatory before you set up the other security tools.
First, make sure the seal in these areas is snug. Any gaps in the weather stripping could allow someone to open a door or window. Reseal these spaces not only for security but to also maintain a comfortable internal environment.
Next, check the locks. If they’re loose then tighten down the screws. If this can’t be done, then check if the hardware is stripped or if the wood is rotted away around the locks. In this case, repair or replacement is required.
If you don’t have a deadbolt lock installed on your door, then purchase one. This adds a stronger level of protection to your entry area. It’s more difficult to pick a deadbolt than a standard lock.
Enhance your outdoor lighting
A family home with little or no exterior lighting is an indirect invitation for criminal activity. Plus, it’s unsafe for those unfamiliar with your yard. As a result, the lack of outdoor lighting results in potential injuries. You don’t have to run these lights all night. Nor do they need to be run off of electricity. Several manufacturers make solar-powered lights for paths and sidewalks. When the sun goes down the collected energy activates them for the evening.
Motion-sensitive lights also keep down utility bills. These are only activated when they detect movement on your property. Motion-sensitive lights can be adjusted to detect certain figures. This minimizes the number of times they go on when a squirrel or rabbit traipses across the yard.
Conclusion
In the end, there are plenty of easy & affordable ways to protect your family home. Focus on those items that are the easiest to correct. Once that’s done, perform a safety audit around your family home to determine the next steps.