We all think about our homes and keeping ourselves safe pretty often. But have you actually taken some extra steps to enforce better habits for home security? If not, now is the time…
There’s something to be said about having “peace of mind.” Every night, after everyone is tucked into bed, you walk around the house making sure the windows and doors are locked up tight. Sometimes (if you’re like me) you might even find yourself walking around the house again to double check the locks.
But besides checking the locks, here are a few extra steps you can take that will help protect you, your loved ones, your home, and hopefully help you rest better at night.
- Keep your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a suspicious noise or something seems “not right” you can easily hit the alarm button to go off on your car. This would scare off any intruder who doesn’t want to stick around for neighbors to wake up and/or police to come.
- Purchase a security decal for your window or door, if you can’t afford to install an alarm system. Even just placing that decal on your window is helping to protect you and your house. This isn’t a foolproof method, but it can help deter amateur thieves who don’t want to mess with an alarm.
- If you do have an alarm system installed, make sure the keypad isn’t viewable from a window or glass door. The last thing you need after paying the money to install a security system, is to have somebody walk in easily and unarm the house just because they saw the code being entered.
- While you are traveling or away from home, ask a trusted individual to check in on your home. Especially since you don’t want flyers to accumulate on your door, or newspapers to pile up. You really don’t want to advertise that nobody’s home. Having somebody you know get the mail and check in on your house will also bring you piece of mind and you’ll be able to enjoy your time away from home.
- Did you know you can spend about $7-$12 to buy a pretend can of shaving cream, hairspray, practically anything and it is actually a place that will hide away your valuables? Don’t keep your valuables or cash in your sock drawer or freezer. Hiding it in plain sight, yet away in a closet or under a sink, won’t be the first place a burglar will check and most likely won’t even think twice when seeing your can of hairspray.
- If you have a keypad that opens up your garage, be careful who has access to it and knows the code! Make sure you never yell out the code. If your child can’t remember the code and they ask you what it is, have them come up to you and tell them the code quietly. You never know who’s listening, or close by.
- When re-keying your property, make sure to only use a licensed locksmith and that they have a good reputation. You can ask to see their license, look them up online and see their reviews, if they’ve been in business long and if they have had happy clients. Do a little research before you let just anybody re-key your house.
These are just a few simple steps you can use to secure your home without breaking the bank. You deserve to rest peacefully at night or while you’re traveling, knowing that you’ve taken some extra measures to make your home a secure place.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
