Simple and Cost-Effective Safety Measures to Protect Your Home

Safety and Security in the home are crucial. After all, it safeguards your home and your possessions. Therefore, you must be aware of all the security measures you can take to protect it. Some of them are likely things you already do. You might not have considered some others.

This list of simple and affordable home security measures is just what you need to enhance your home safety and more.

Although it might seem obvious, locking your doors and windows is a key deterrent to potential intruders. Almost a third of burglars enter homes through unlocked windows or doors, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Therefore, before leaving the house, be sure to lock all of the doors and the first-floor windows.

To keep track of your entrances, you can use a few devices. Doors and windows can be monitored by sensors to determine if they have been left open, and smart locks can be programmed to lock them automatically at predetermined intervals.

Each year, more than 3,000 people die from fires and about 430 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the US. To stay away from these alarming statistics early detection is essential. Every level of your home should have a detector to guarantee that you are informed if this gas is present. Ensure to install new units every five to seven years and replace the batteries every six months. You might also want to check each detector occasionally to ensure it is still functional.

Fireproofing your home is all about being aware of potential dangers. In addition to maintaining a functional fire extinguisher, keep flammable items like wood, clothing, paper, and curtains away from anything that might ignite them. It covers radiators, space heaters, candles, power strips, and more. If you prefer real Christmas trees, ensure your lights are in good shape and think about switching to LEDs if necessary.

Install motion sensor lighting to light up the shadowy areas of your property. These lights come on if they detect an intruder. You do not want a sensor to go off often just because a cat or any other type of wildlife is moving around, so be sure to set the level of motion to the desired level for the shadowy areas around your home.

Windows also can be equipped with vibration sensors, and if any window is unintentionally left open, a message will appear on a touchscreen panel in the hallway or on a mobile.

Many people believe that their hidden house keys kept outside are secret and no one is aware of it, but this may not be the case. All it takes is someone spotting you retrieving your keys just once and setting it up to break into your house. Instead, let a neighbor or friend you trust have the extra key. If you need to have a spare key outside your home, consider safer options like choosing a spot far away from your doorway or using a hidden combination lockbox.

It is also very beneficial and well worth the investment to set up a smart home locking system that can lock and unlock doors for you remotely. Taking a little extra care and being mindful can go a long way in ensuring the safety of your home.

Locking your doors and windows may not be good enough if you do not have good locks. To prevent a break-in attempt, ensure that every exterior door has a deadbolt. Additionally, ensure the door frames and hinges of the home are durable enough to withstand a burglary attempt. Old doors or explicit hinges may put you at unnecessary risk. Finally, as was already mentioned, you can upgrade to a home lock system that you can operate remotely.

When you plan to go on vacation, do not announce your plans beforehand. Empty homes are a favorite target of burglars because there is less chance of conflict. By having someone park in your driveway, setting your lights on an automatic timer, and asking your neighbor to get your mail, you can give the impression that you are still at home. Additionally, save the social media updates for once you are back, and be selective about who you share your plans with. You are essentially announcing that your home is unoccupied when you upload photos to social media or check in when you are on vacation, and it becomes a target for burglars.

The best way to prevent risk to your home and family is to be proactive and put safety measures, like those listed above, into place. You do not have to complete everything at once, so unwind. Start by choosing the strategies most crucial to you, and then make a plan to add the others later.