Home Sweet Home: 3 Tips for Keeping It Safe
Keeping your home safe is one of the top priorities for any homeowner.
Even if you are renting rather than paying a mortgage, it is the place that houses all of your personal belongings and prized possessions - deterring intruders is a must regardless of status.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep unwanted guests from entering your abode.
Make Friends with the Neighbours
If you’re not already part of a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, make it your priority. It doesn’t take much to be involved - just report any strange or unusual behaviour that you have seen and keep a watch on anything out of the ordinary happening around your neighbours houses. “Better in numbers” is a phrase that will definitely come into play here, and a free eye on your house is not something to be brushed off. You may also make some great friends out of it and strengthen the community that you live in by all clubbing together on the same basis - some may even be able to help with other projects that you have going on in your home! It’s a win-win situation.
Light It Up
Although it may seem like a good idea to keep your lights on constantly to give the impression that you’re on home, thieves know that hardly anybody will keep them on throughout the day and night. It gives a clear indicator to you not being at home. Be savvy with when your bulbs flick on and off and invest in a lamp timer to keep them guessing. Flood lights also work brilliantly as deterrents; nobody likes being lit up when they’re trying to do something that they shouldn’t. Ensure that these lights are motion-activated to bring attention to the spot - it may be that your neighbours notice the light if you don’t.
Invest in Sound
As well as light being off-putting, anything else that will draw attention to the scene is doubling of your home. Do not put up a sign stating the manufacturer of the alarm - the internet is accessible to almost everyone, and it is easy for thieves to do a quick search online to find out up your security. Read up on alarm reviews to help you pick one that is suitable for the needs how to bypass the alarm. Recordings of TV snippets, people talking or even just general music can also make the burglar stop and think - again, sounds are quite a big deterrent, and if there is any indication that you may still be inside the house, it will be a no-go zone for them.
Intruders are not looking to get caught, they are looking to take as much as many of your valuable belongings in as little time as possible. It is up to you to make them think that they don’t have the time that they think they have. More often than not, if caught by surprise, they will panic and flee from the scene. You don’t want them there in the first place, so treat them like a flea on a dog and get rid of them as soon as possible!