In 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recorded a whopping 57.5% or about 1,401,840 burglaries through a forcible entry or home invasion in the United States. It’s almost half of the overall robbery crime data the US tracked yearly. For every 15 seconds, a theft incident happens in the state.
Hence, you must carry out security facilities and practices at home to guarantee safety. In this blog post, you can discover numerous home-safeguarding tips, so you can go through and close this year without encountering any break in circumstances.
1. Always close doors and windows
No matter how secure or gated the village you’re living in, it would be best to close doors and windows, particularly in areas with no one is present to observe your home.
Windows and doors left unattended are the usual passageways for thieves to enter your premises and get your most precious items.
To prevent this incident from happening, just keep in mind that someone’s always lurking around your neighborhood, waiting for any opportunity to take advantage of your negligence.
2. Securely hide extra keys
Each household usually has additional keys for other house dwellers to come in whenever no one’s inside quickly. In the US, the residents often leave it outside under a mat, a flower pot, and many more.
However, this isn’t a reliable house-safekeeping method as robbers often target these usual places, and believe it or not, they frequently succeed.
Thus, it would be best in 2023 if you could be crafty in thinking of a more secure place to store your home keys and avoid hiding them outside. Consider duplicating your keys so only those living in the house can enter.
3. Change locks when moving to a new home
If you are a new homeowner, one of the most critical security measures you must take is to change the house locks. You will never know who still holds access to the keys to your new house’s locks.
Therefore, you must immediately buy a fresh lock to prevent potential break-ins and secure your brand-new home immediately.
4. Set lights and entertainment facilities on a timer
There are more techie ways to conduct security measures in this digital age. One, for instance, is scheduling a specific time to turn on your lights and entertainment facilities like your TV or radio to make it look like someone’s available or still awake to watch the house. This simple method can instantly drive burglars away from your house’s premises.
5. Equip your home with smart security devices
With the fast advent of technology, home security utilities are now highly prominent, especially in the North American region, where house robberies happen in seconds. Some smart home securities recommended for you to install are the alarm and video doorbell system.
Setting up alarms around your house is one of the surefire ways to safeguard your premises, as it alerts you immediately of any unauthorized person lurking outside your home. Robbers are known to ring their victim’s doorbell first to check if anyone’s at home or none.
Thankfully, these intelligent video doorbells can help you pretend that someone’s inside even if there isn’t. More importantly, it allows you to check who’s ringing outside without needing to open your door first. Smart security devices are one of the best technological developments to hinder break-in attempts.
One more thing, empowering your access doors and upgrading them with general-purpose security access panels is a home safety measure you can implement inside your house, specifically with attic doors, as it’s a vulnerable trespass point.
6. Send someone to empty your mailbox
When you are away from your home for a long time, there’s a great chance that your mailbox gets filled with unread mail. Usually, thieves take this as a sign that none of the family members are present, making your house a hot place for them to invade.
An ideal way to avoid this situation is by asking a favor to your neighbor to check and collect your mail daily. Another technique you can do is to personally go to your local post office and request to hold all your correspondence.
7. Landscape yard appropriately
Homes with large and tall hedges and shrubs over three feet and above are prone to be invaded by thieves. It’s because dwellers, neighbors, and even passersby can hardly tell that a robber is trying to enter your house.
Thus, many crime-control agencies advise their residents to trim or cut down their landscapes enough for you and others to see.
8. Stay alert for every strange activity or noises
For every burglary attempt, you can notice unusual movements and even noises in your surroundings. It would be best if you were extra attentive during these times, quietly alert the people inside your house, and call the nearest police station.
It would help if you also surround your home with motion detectors. With this economical and energy-saving lighting tool, your home will have an extra layer of security at night.
Home safety experts suggest you install them around your house’s front yard, backyard, sides, or wherever you think robbers can hide seamlessly. Through motion detectors, you can investigate and act adeptly in case they attempt to strike at night.
Secure your home, enjoy life’s value
Your home should be a safe sanctuary to make happy memories for you and your loved ones. But, with the high burglary crime rate recorded in the United States, it’s only appropriate for you to carry out security measures to help maintain the peacefulness inside your house.
Thankfully, the massive technological advancement also aids you in protecting your home even without pouring in all your attention, giving you some time to be in the moment with your special someone.