By By Street Directory
Few homeowners really bother about security until something happens to their house or a neighbor. It’s our ‘don’t fix it if ain’t broken’ attitude that gives the burglar’s an upper hand. However there are many simple basic things we can know to make our home safer and give a fighting face.
Assess security need
Planning and design a full proof and effective security systems start with assessing your security needs. The first basic thing to start with is a survey of the home premise, both inside and outside including physical home objects and their position within the premises. Risk factors and loss potential are scrutinized as these greatly influence how far we would like to secure our homes and gardens keeping in mind the budget. More the risk and valuable the objects, greater planning and security considerations are to be made for particular part of the property.
Next comes considering four golden types on which any security system planning is considered;
Time or barrier security: TIME is a biggest enemy of any burglar. The more time it takes to break into a home, the more discouraged a burglar will become. This makes time or barrier security the simplest and must have security type for any home. Simple home security devices such as locks on doors (here deadbolts are worth looking), window bars, security gates, security film, security grilles that are visible from the exterior of the house will not only act as a deterrent but slow down an intruder should they decide to try to enter. For example, security bars are very useful for protecting basement windows as they provide visual deterrence as well as providing barrier security. However we have to understand here that locks and other barrier security serve primarily to prevent entry by the amateur and to slow or deter the professional burglars
Lighting security: Lights are sweet curse for any burglars since good security lighting is one of the greatest deterrents to crime. Many burglars prefer the cover of darkness and by keeping your property well lit at night, you take away their opportunity to strike. When using light as a type of security, make sure darker areas like back doors and windows, shrubbery, walkways and entrances to your garage and basement are well illuminated. Nowadays motion detection lighting which lights on sensing any motion are best since they save on energy and provide on demand security lighting needs. For more information on how lights can provide a mean to secure your homes and gardens, please read our Outdoor Lights comes to secure our Homes and Gardens article,
Sound security: SOUND OR NOISE is also the enemy of the burglar. One can get huge range of home security alarms activated by doors or windows opening or by motion. If you are pet lovers then a dog is one of the trusted and lovely sound security one can get. Not because it’s vicious, it need not even be seen, but it has to be heard. Nowadays people can even get a recorded dog bark and will scare most burglars away.
Surveillance security: BIG BROTHER is watching you. No body likes being watched and not when one is illegally entering a property. However we have to understand here is that most of the security systems just helps us to identify the culprit if no body is home and the crime has taken place There are also alarm guarded security cameras whereas some cameras can be linked to internet for you to watch from where ever you are present or to a security company that will send help immediately.
Almost all police stations have a local crime reduction officer who will happily give you advice over the phone or may visit your home if they think it is necessary. One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to secure your home at the property line is to turn on senses of your neighborhood. Community policing programs, like ‘come and be one’, have shown great success in reducing property crime around the world.
As risk and value of the objects inside the property increases the security system should be layered so that thieves are forced to spend valuable time after entering the premises but before penetrating the barrier security to get to the reward.
Avoid regular routines that make it obvious you are away from home at specific times of the day or night. This may be bit inconvenient, but try to be flexible in your routines of departure and arrival when possible.
Whenever you are on vacations, check all the security systems/items are functioning and also arrange for neighbor to watch house. Plus have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped and arrange to have your yard maintained which will help to keep your home a live in like look.
Planning and designing an effective security system is as much as an art than logic, but more than anything else involves common sense and while there is temptation to rely on high technology, try to keep it simple. The most effective security systems gives equal importance to all the four type of security with the barrier one being the leading one and then backed by other three types wherever needed.
Part of the fun of owning a home is experimenting with keeping your home a safe and better place to live in this unpredictable unsafe world. While you’re making your home as attractive as you can to your friends and neighbors, you can make it equally unattractive to intruders. We at Godby Safe & Lock hope this information and these suggestions on how to secure your homes and gardens will help to reduce the ruining of your dream home.