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Home Security How to Keep Your Family Safe
Our home is more than just a pile of bricks and stones. It is more than just a place to sleep in. The home is our sanctuary, our refuge. It is where we feel most safe. It is the one place where the whole family can regroup and just be together. And this is how it should be.
But while the home can give us that sense of comfort and safety, the house is a different story all together. Just as the years can wear on our lives, the years can also wear on the house, so that there will come a time when we will have to take some positive steps to keep the house safe and secure for the family.
So how do we do that? How do we improve the security of our home in order to keep your family safe and sound? That is the question we shall strive to answer here.
Home Security Basic Steps
When talking about keeping the home safe, the first thing that comes to our mind is a full-blown home security system. This would include deadlocks, motion detectors, sensor lights, alarms, and police call-up capability. And while all this sophisticated technology can indeed help secure the home, home security requires a broader mindset than this.
Home security includes being aware of the common dangers that are present in the home. It is important that we take steps in order to avoid these dangers, especially since these dangers may have been with us for a long time. Consider them as accidents waiting to happen and thus, should not be overlooked.
Moreover, home security does not stop at installing a home security system. Regular and proper maintenance is also required in order to keep the equipment optimized for maximum output.
Home security equipment is just like a car. Let’s say, for example, that you just bought a great new car with all the latest gadgets. If you don’t change the oil at least once a month and have the battery checked up regularly, do you think that car would run as smoothly as when you first bought it?
Chances are you will be making frequent visits to the repair shop after a year of no maintenance. Home security system is just like that. Without proper maintenance, your home security system will not be able to do what it is supposed to.
But what if we were to say that you do not need a very technologically advanced home security system to keep your family safe while inside the house? As we previously mentioned, home security has a broader sense than having techno-gadgets installed in the home. It requires foresight on your part and some degree of common sense, both of which will cost you next to nothing.
Do-It-Yourself Home Security
Consider the following do-it-yourself home security steps to keep your home safe:
• Burgle your home.
Okay, before you hit the roof, wait one moment for the explanation. The purpose of this exercise is to put your self in the shoes of would-be thieves and burglars.
Try to see what weak spots are present in your home’s security. These are the areas that thieves can take advantage of in order to breach security and get inside the house. Common weak spots include the front gate, door locks (especially of the back and side doors), keys in favorite hiding places, and small openings or crawlspaces leading to the inside of the house.
If you find that you can bypass your home’s security with little to no trouble, then chances are your home is not as secure as you think.
• Install solid locks in doors.
Your first line of defense is your doors. This includes all your outside doors – front, back, and side. Often in most homes, the front door is more securely locked than the back, side, laundry, and even garage doors, leaving the latter vulnerable to burglars and thieves.
Be sure to lock all doors securely with the use of solid locks. Moreover, make sure that the hardwood of the doors themselves is secure, because a lock is often only as good as the door it is installed in.
A door made of hollow-core timber can be opened with a swift kick. If your door has a glass window, this can be easily broken for the thief to reach inside and open the lock. You should watch out for these weak spots in your doors and compensate by either upgrading your door to solid timber or installing a lock that is virtually “pick-proof.”
Here are examples of common locks used in the home:
1.Mortise Locks
One advantage that mortise locks have over other locks is that the fixing is concealed into the midpoint of the door frame and the edge of the door. This makes it difficult to force them away from the door. However, note that this same fixing makes mortise locks very difficult to install.
2.Deadlocks
There are deadlocks that come with two cylinders to allow you to lock the door from inside and outside. That way you can lock the door and no one will be able to open from the inside or outside without a key. This one of the securest locks out there, perfect not only for outside doors but also for those in the interior of the house.
3.Rimlocks and Double Cylinder Locks
The best thing about rimlocks is that they are easy to install. So if you have a little handyman skills, then you could probably install this lock by yourself. However, rimlocks do not always offer the same level of home security as more expensive locks.
If you do not feel that rimlocks can give you the security that you need, then consider another alternative in the form of double cylinder locks. This type of lock prevents anyone without a key from opening the door either from the inside or outside.
If your door is made of glass with frames, this is the perfect lock to use.
• Lock the windows.
Don’t just lock your doors. Chances are that if the thief cannot gain access through the doors, he will try the windows. As a matter of fact, most successful burglaries are done by forcing open the windows. That is because windows are not often as secure as the doors.
When keeping your home safe and secure, do not overlook the windows. They are generally weaker than doors, hence, an obvious weak spot that many thieves and burglars won’t hesitate to take advantage of.
The good news is that makers of windows have come up with ways to improve their security. So all you have to do is to follow the instructions in the manufacturer’s manual to keep thieves and burglars out.
Here are the common types of windows used and how to make them more secure:
1.Double-hung Windows
Protect windows of this type using a key lockable bolt action system, which can be fitted to the inside of the window frame at the center line. The system works by preventing either of the double-hung sashes from being opened once the hardened steel bolt is locked in place.
2.Sliding Windows
Sliding doors have a narrow leading edge. This makes it easy to install a key lockable bolt on the sash. It works by drilling a small hole in the frame where the bolt can pass through. Once the window is locked, the bolt will block any movement and stop the entire sash from being lifted out of the frame.
3.Glass Louvre Windows
This type of windows is a high security risk. There really is no effective way of securing glass louvre windows. Your best option is to replace them other window types that are easy to secure or to install exterior bars to prevent thieves and burglars from forcing entry through the windows.
4.Awning and Casement Windows
Both these types of windows can be secured using keyed sash bolts. The lock system is fitted into the sash so that the bolt will lock into the frame. Another option is to use a chain winder lock, which especially works for awning windows.
• Use automatic timers when you are away.
Perhaps one of the greatest inventions ever made to prevent burglaries is the automatic timer. This is an especially nifty gadget to install in your home when you are away.
Basically, the automatic timer works by giving the appearance that you are still at home and not away on vacation, perhaps. If the lights both inside and outside your house turn on and off at various intervals, this will give that “at home” or “lived in” look, which could help deter burglars and thieves.
Automatic timers come in a variety of styles and settings. There are timers that operate like a simple clock, while there are some with more sophisticated settings which you can adjust in order to stagger the time.
For instance, you can set the timer to turn the lights on at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, and so on.
Moreover, to add to the illusion that you are at home, you can also install several automatic timers in various parts of the house, so that any thief who might be observing your house will be fooled into thinking that you really are at home because the bathroom lights turn on maybe twice in the night.
• Always be on your guard.
Even when you are inside the house, it is still important that you keep your guard up. Do not open your door to just anybody. It is very possible for intruders to push their way past you once you have opened your door.
The first step to secure the house is to get one of those strong, steel security doors. Make sure to install a good lock for both the front and back entrances, and side entrances if any. Having a secure door with a strong lock is crucial for your personal safety, especially if you live in a high risk neighborhood.
Next, install a peephole in the door, or what is called a “fish-eye” viewer. This will allow you to see who is at the door without opening it – a very effective way of preventing forced entry by intruders.
The good thing about viewers is that they are fairly easy to install. All you have to do is to drill a hole in the door. Afterwards, just insert the viewer and then tighten it.
Finally, add a chain lock on the inside of the door as extra security. This will allow you to open the door partially so you can look outside and see who is at the door.
• Install outdoor lights.
Understand that home security does not stop at just windows and door locks. It is also essential that you provide sufficient lighting outside. This will discourage any prowlers from sneaking around and eventually breaking in.
There are various outdoor light fixtures and you can use one or all of them. These include:
1.Sensor Lights
These lights can detect motions. They will go on when someone gets too close, thereby alerting you to any intruders.
2.Post Lights
These lights shine on the path that lead up to your front steps.
3.Drive Entrance Lights
These lights allow you to see the drive way as well as provide a cheery welcome to your friends.
4.Garden Lights
These will allow you to highlight your landscaping as well as illuminate heavily planted areas.
There are several more steps you can take to keep your home safe and sound. The above-mentioned are only the basics. While there is no sure-fire way to keep burglars and thieves away, the important thing is that you have taken all the necessary steps to make it extremely difficult for them to burglarize your home.
Often, burglaries occur because homes are left unprotected. Don’t give these thieves the opportunity to take advantage of your trusting nature and do what it takes to protect your home and your family inside.
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