Five Steps to Secure Your House Whether You Are Home or Away

Your home is your castle and your sanctuary, so you want to make sure it is secure whether you are home or away. Here are five steps to get you started.

1.     Check Your Locks

You know you should lock your doors when you leave the house, but home security requires a little more effort. If you have recently moved into a new home be sure switch out the locks—you have no idea who had keys to the house before you lived there—make a fresh start. Whether you’ve just moved to Tallahassee or Toronto, a locksmith should be one of the first people you call. While you are having new locks installed, consider getting a deadbolt as well. Deadbolts are much harder to get past than a regular lock so they provide an added measure of safety.

2.     Get to Know Your Neighbors

You and your neighbors can provide each other with a great security net. Help a neighbor out by keeping an eye on their home while they are away and ask them to do the same when you head on vacation. If you get to know your neighbors you will notice when something is amiss and you can help one another in a crisis.

3.     Secure All Your Entrances

Don’t forget about all the many entrances to your home. Many people leave the door between their home and garage unlocked, but this gives anyone with a universal garage remote easy access to the home. Lock all your doors and windows when you leave or go to bed and secure a sliding glass door with a 2x4 or something similar so that burglars can’t pry the door open.

4.     Don’t Publicize Vacations

You might be excited about your upcoming vacation, but don’t tell everyone you know about your big trip. Do you really trust all of your Facebook friends and Twitter followers? Do you even know them? People also often make the mistake of telling strangers about big plans; it might be awkward to sit in silence while you get your hair cut, but don’t tell your new hairdresser everything about your life. Thieves commonly use hairdressers, bank workers, and carpet installers as informants. Even if the person you tell is trustworthy, blabbing about your plans in a public place means anyone could wander past and hear exactly when your home will be the most vulnerable.

5.     Make Sure Everything Appears Normal

The more normal your home appears, the less likely it is to be targeted by burglars. Keep your yard well maintained whether you are home or on a big trip and use timers to switch lights on and off while you are gone. Enlist the help of a neighbor and have them pick up your mail and newspaper, or make arrangements to stop paper delivery and ask the post office to hold your mail until you return.

You can’t prevent every possible misfortune, but following these five steps will significantly improve your home’s security.

Author Byline

Michael David is a freelance blogger who writes about a variety of topics. For help improving your home’s security, call Davies Lock & Door Services.