Shelter makes up one of the basic needs of man. A house is a place of rest, it’s somewhere you find solace. The home should be a place where you sleep with your two eyes closed. It’s a place where you do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t go against the social norms.
But what happens when you are not able to do things you like to do? What happens if you are not able to drive your preferred car in your neighbourhood because of the fear of being robbed or attacked? What happens if your mind is not at rest because you are scared your house could have burgled before you get back home from work?
7 Essential Tips for a Secure Home
In this article, we are going to look at 7 important tips for a more secured home.
1. Replace Your Door Lock
It is important to change door lock especially if you are moving to a new apartment, it is unsafe to use the same locks used by a previous owner. Door lock usually come in 3-4 duplicates, ensure you have the full key bunch with you. Make sure that you only give keys to people you trust.
New locks can help keep intruders out because they are more difficult to break into and aren’t worn down. Be sure to also fill in any gaps between the door and frame. This will also make it more difficult to break into.
Jam locks and smart locks are excellent options to go with and can dramatically boost your home security.
2. Install Lights in the Compound
It’s much easier to break into homes that have poor lighting because intruders can easily find places to hide. Your outdoor lights must be on at night, it’s not a time to try to manage electricity consumption!
Try getting an energy-saving bulb for your outdoor lightings to minimize the rate of energy consumption in your home. By installing lights around your home and compound, you will eliminate blind spots for intruders.
As opposed to the perception that burglars are more attracted to bright looking homes. Burglars look for houses that have dark spots. Lighting everything up will exposes burglars to you and everyone driving by. Giving the unstable power and high electricity tariff in Nigeria, one might want to consider the solar lights too.
Other hotspots you should consider installing lights are fences, verandas, and car park/garage.
3. Get a Dog
K9 or Security dog is good for home security, they are one of the oldest ‘security guard’ that ever existed. Due to their high sense of smell, they can smell a stranger from a distance. And they can attack when they sight a stranger within their owners’ compound.
That is why in houses with dogs there is always a sign saying ‘beware of dog’ meaning anyone trying to gain access to that building must first call the owner otherwise the dog could attack and cause bodily harm to visitors.
Dogs bark and inform owners that someone is in the house, which announces their arrival and this is not what robbers like they don’t like to be seen or notice, they try to be as discrete as possible. Robbers are much less likely to break into homes that have dogs, especially large ones like Rottweiler and Cane Carso. The Caucasian shepherd is also loud barkers.
4. Lock The Windows
When people leave for work or family trips, they often remember to lock all of the doors. But what about the windows?
Windows are often neglected and leave easy access for people to sneak in through. When you don’t lock your windows, burglars can easily remove the screen and go inside your home without causing damage or a sound.
Regardless of the kind of windows you have in your homes, there should be a lock somewhere. You should always use the locks on your window from inside when you leave your home, don’t just close it!
If your window doesn’t have a lock you can use from inside of the home, get a carpenter if it’s a wooden window to help you out a locker for you. Fix damaged locks of sliding windows as soon as possible.
5. Install Surveillance Camera
Installing a surveillance camera around the outside of your house can help you keep an eye on things when you are not at home. Some camera comes with motion detectors such that when they detect noise and motion.
The camera is not always 100% you still need someone to help you manage it, preferably a trained security guard or you install a camera that comes with an App you can install on your phone to get real-time notifications.
6. Keep the green space clean
It is good to plant trees and flowers in the compound, it protects against harsh weather conditions, but while doing this you must prevent the trees and plants from overgrowing, if left untendered, they can be a hiding spot for intruders.
Keep your grass short and trim your trees when they start creating an opening to hide in. Keeping a clean compound doesn’t make you vulnerable because everything is visible. Just like lighting up your compound, clean landscaping will expose intruders while they try to get inside.
7. Drop the curtains/window blinds
When people can see inside your home, they can learn your routines and weaknesses. Then capitalize on it to rob you.
By dropping your window curtains, someone with the intension to break-in won’t be as willing to do so because they don’t know where you are or what you have inside. It’s a good way to keep your home safe and not let intruders know when you are and aren’t home.
Should there be a reason to travel for a couple of days, have a trusted person open your curtains the mornings. They can then close them in the afternoon to make it look like someone is staying there.
Final words
Security of home is important and it starts with you locking your doors and windows, the government don’t need to ask you before you to do that, which is your responsibility!
You are going to be saving yourself and loved one the pain of losing some priced asset to armed robbers by taking the aforementioned recommendations to practice.