Your home is your haven where your family lives and expects to be safe. With that being said, homes also store sensitive materials like financial records, personal documents, heirlooms and expensive items, which are very appealing to robbers. While an intruder breaking into your home is worst case scenario, preparation goes a long way towards preventing a disaster.
Thankfully, there are so many simple and affordable ways you can protect your home. Solar Art specializes in safer home windows, and has collected a few tips on how to improve home safety. Read on to learn more!
Security cameras and video systems are powerful tools for protecting your home and property. Cameras can be installed anywhere and many can be hidden from plain sight. A video camera can mean the difference between an intruder getting caught free or winding up in jail, and can bring you peace of mind that people aren’t skulking around your property looking for easy targets.
Motion sensor lights identify movement and turn on bright lights to surprise any would-be thieves and chase them away. A motion sensor light can also let you know if someone is moving around outside, and many lights today ignore animal movement. If you need to check out any suspicious activity, motion sensor lights help you feel safer while doing so. Motion activated porch lights are also good security measures for keeping you safe while you unlock your door.
Motion lights come in a wide variety of features and prices, so check around and read up on the right motion lights for your home before you buy.
You can’t watch your home at all times, but you can install a comprehensive home security system that sets off loud alarms when strangers breach a barrier or attempt to gain access without a pass code. Even better, there are alarm systems that alert the authorities if there is an intruder. Just like car alarms, house security alarms alert the neighborhood to a thief who would rather not be exposed.
Brinks, SimpliSafe, and ADT are just some trusted home security brands out there, but you can check out more here.
While the old lock and key system is tried and true, that system is outdated. Install a multi-layer lock system with dead bolts that isn’t easily cracked by a criminal. Keyed entry locks are solid security options because anyone entering must know the passcode, and you can change the passcode at any time.
Better yet, smart locks are cutting-edge home security technology that form an extra layer of protection over your door. Keep track of who comes to your door with your phone and decide if they come inside with a press on your smartphone. Many brands like August and Yale have built in alarms and auto-locking technology. If you or your family get locked out, you can open your door remotely or use a spare key.
Smart home lock system tech changes every day, so check out a list of the best home smart locks to stay on top of the latest safety trends.
A quarter of intruders enter a home through windows and gain access to your property in under a minute. Even if your home alarm is blaring and the authorities are on their way, the thief has plenty of time to grab and go. Make your glass windows and doors stronger against burglars with window security film.
Security window film makes your glass 2-3 times stronger so it withstands impact. Security window film is much thicker than standard window film so that a crook needs to use a lot more force to break through than untreated windows.
Security film can be tinted or clear. Tinted film gives you privacy, but clear security film means outsiders won’t even know your windows are stronger than usual. Talk to Solar Art about our security film options.
Garages and spare rooms often contain sensitive material like technology, financial documents, antiques, valuables, and more. They also often have small windows that an intruder can look through and see what's in the room and what they can steal. Stop thieves in their tracks by covering your clear windows with reflective window films so you can see out but they can’t see in.
Reflective window film turns your windows into mirrors like one way glass, whereas decorative window film like frosted window film or blackout window film totally blocks light both in and out so criminals have no idea what you store in your garage.
While hiding the key under the mat helps your family get inside if they are locked out, thieves also know to look for spare keys for easy entry into your home. If you have a lock and key system, don’t keep many copies around that can get lost, and don’t put them under rocks or some other obvious place.
If a friend or family member needs access into your home when you’re not there, hide your key temporarily in a one-off place that only they know where to look and don’t use the same spot twice. Better yet, loan your family member or friend a spare key ahead of time instead of leaving it vulnerable outdoors.
Don’t forget to lock your windows and doors when you leave the house or sleep. Lock windows and doors in rooms you don’t use very much during the day, and secure all your entry points at night. An unlocked window or door is a noiseless access point for a criminal that bypasses many home security systems.
Also check that small, out-of-the-way windows aren’t left open when you’re sleeping or not at home. Check that older windows close securely and the latches are easily locked from the inside.
Keeping your sensitive documents and valuables in a standard filing cabinet or desk might make them easy for you to get to, but also makes them easy targets for thieves. Buy a durable safe to store gold, jewelry, legal documents, and other materials that can compromise your family’s finances. Hide the safe out of sight and keep the lock combination to yourself (and maybe one other person you trust).
Safes are a standard part of home security and many variations exist that fit your unique needs. Check out a curated, comprehensive list for the leading home safes selected for performance and features before investing in this important part of personal safety.
Automatic lighting systems help you feel safer coming home. You have a couple of options, too!
Lights that turn on via a smart home system or when the door opens add extra security to your home by lighting up the space and revealing any trouble before you walk in. If you have a smart home assistant like Alexa or Google, you can install smart home light systems that your assistant can turn on and off for you, such as when you unlock the door.
Timed lights from brands like Phillips Hue keep your home safe when you’re away by making thieves think you are inside. When the lights come on in the evening, intruders can’t easily tell if you’re home and they are left guessing. They’ll find an easier target somewhere else.
If your house has a garage, parking your car inside your garage is an easy way to deter thieves. While parking inside also preserves your car from the elements and protects it from vandalism, parking inside also confuses thieves who want to know if you’re home. On the other hand, a thief can tell you’re not home if you usually park on the driveway. Like timed lights, don’t give away clues if you’re home or not!
We love our dogs, and they’re called man’s best friend for a reason. A good guard dog can chase away, attack, and detain thieves who try to enter your home. Dogs also have much better hearing than humans, and will put that good hearing to good use by alerting you to the slight sounds outside when it’s dark. All the dog has to do is bark and the intruder knows he’s been found (and his time is up).
Finally, this might seem like common sense, but be very choosing about who let into your home. If you don’t know the person at the door, keep the conversation on the porch instead of inviting them inside. A stranger selling a new magazine may actually be casing your home for security measures they or their friends need to watch out for. Trusting a stranger too easily leaves your vulnerable to attack within your own home.
So there you have it. You have a lot of options for making your home safer. Installing window security film is one of the easiest and cheapest first steps you can take toward burglar-proofing your home, since windows are some of the most sensitive access points. Follow common sense strategies like parking in your garage, turning on lights when you’re not home, locking your doors, and storing belongings in a safe. Third, undertake more advanced measures like smart locks, home security systems, and motion sensor lights for total security.
The world can be a dangerous place, so talk to Solar Art about protecting your home and your family today!
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