Although there are millions of homeowners in the United States, not nearly as many take the necessary precautions to protect their homes. Families will often leave their home and forget to lock the doors, leave a window open, or leave the garage open. Worse yet, many families believe their homes are fully secured and protected, yet they have a wooden bar holding their backdoor closed rather than a sturdy lock. According to the FBI, there are just over 2 million reports of burglary per year. That’s over 2 million homes that could be protecting themselves better. Homeowners everywhere should follow these 5 easy home safety tips that anyone can do!
Immediately report suspicious behavior
Homeowners should always be aware and any type of unusual or suspicious behavior around their homes. Many neighborhoods have Neighborhood Watches dedicated to protecting the area; however, if yours doesn’t, it’s even more important to be on alert for unusual activity!
Install deadbolt locks on all exterior entrances
This is extremely important and neglected more often than you may think. Many people still feel that a wedge or iron bar suffices as a proper lock, especially for sliding glass doors. However, these make-shift door locks are extremely easy to break into from the outside. Installing proper deadbolt locks will definitely improve the safety of your home.
Secure all windows on every floor
Simply closing your windows isn’t enough to prevent someone from breaking in from outside. Most windows have some form of lock pre-installed on them. However, if yours don’t, it may be a good idea to think about investing in some window alarms, which will automatically trigger a response and alert you of a break-in.
Post emergency phone numbers
Nothing is more important than your family’s safety. It’s always a good idea to have a list of numbers that your child is comfortable calling in the event that you’re away from home.
Make sure all smoke detectors are up to code
The best way to do this is to press the test button that comes standard on most smoke detectors. If it doesn’t beep, you most likely need a new battery.
While all of these are general safety tips that anyone and everyone should take advantage of, if you’re planning on leaving your home multiple times for extended periods of time, it may be a good idea to invest a home security system. Some allow you to control the system from your mobile phone, and others have video monitoring capabilities. In any case, the safety of your home and family should be the most important thing to you, and you can never be too safe!
Justin Garvin writes on behalf of Protection 1, the 2nd largest national security company in the nation. From home alarm systems to home security systems, Protection 1 has home security covered. Visit our site to learn more!
