Protect Your Home and Your Family
Your house should feel like a safe place to be, and it’s only natural to want to protect your family and your belongings. Unfortunately, fear of burglary can shatter your sense of security and make it hard to relax in your own home. To prevent problems, here are a few ways you can improve home security.
Keep Valuables Safe
To improve home security, keep valuable belongings out of sight. When high-value items are visible through your windows or from outside your house, it can be tempting for burglars, making you a target. Simple behavioral changes, like closing the curtains at night, especially if you have a large television or gaming system visible, will decrease the chance of theft.
Improve Home Security by Not Leaving Keys in Obvious Places
Many homeowners leave an extra key hidden under the doormat or in a plant near the door, but those are familiar places for a burglar to look. Install a smart lock on the front door to make your home accessible without worrying about keys. This type of lock is controlled by a smartphone app and is a great way to improve security.
Don’t Make it Obvious You’re on Vacation
When you are away for the weekend or on a long-distance trip, is it evident you are not home? If you are out-of-town, use timers to control indoor lights and the television to make the home seem occupied. Stop by the post office to place a hold on your mail, or ask a neighbor to collect your packages. Mail accumulating in the mailbox and packages piling up on the porch are a sure sign that the homeowner is away.
Use Motion-Activated Lights to Improve Home Security
One of the easiest ways to improve home security is to install motion-activated lights. These can be placed in your backyard and on the side of your home and set to power on when movement is detected. Adjust the lighting as necessary, so it detects people but not every squirrel or bird that passes through the yard.
Check Your Locks
To improve home security, use tools you already have in place. At night, check that all windows and doors are securely locked. Make sure the windows are up and the doors are locked when you get out of the car. Many crimes occur because of opportunity. Lock up to help deter thieves.
Phoenix Property Inspections provides home inspection services in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties in California. Contact us to schedule an appointment.