4 Fast Facts about Home Security
Home security is one of those issues people are never sure if they've dedicated enough of their time to. Before you start planning for it, you have to evaluate appropriate measures for your home and find the most practical manner to install them. Whether you live in apartment or house makes a difference, but there are still common grounds you need to cover before you develop a more detailed security arrangement.
Based on the FBI data from 2015, a burglary happens every 20 seconds and the property crime every 3.9. The report for 2016 shows a 0.6 % drop in property crimes compared to 2015. In 2017, from January to June, these statistics show the decrease by 2.9 % in property crimes compared to 2016. One of the reasons for the fall in property crime is actually the awareness of homeowners about security and measures they’ve taken to enforce it.
A report from the Charlotte’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of North Carolina supports this fact, stating that 60% of burglars avoid properties with installed security systems. Moreover, since the most burglaries happen during the day, there isn’t such thing as being too cautious. Therefore, we prepared four fast facts about home security that you should take into consideration as the basis for protecting your property from intruders.
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Protect the perimeter
No matter if you live in the apartment building or in the house, you have to make sure that the first security measure is in place before the entrance into the inner circle of your property. First, start by installing cameras and intercom video systems. This way you will be able to see who is buzzing at the door and making sure that you don’t let an unfamiliar person inside.
Installing a high-security fencing and gate system will make the access to your home difficult since intruders will have to jump over and they can hardly do that undetected. Place the motion sensor lights that will turn on at nights when someone passes by the gate since that can startle a person and chase the burglars away.
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Install a home alarm system
It may seem like a nuisance to turn the alarm system on and off all the time, but it is a well worth it security measure and quite an effective one. If possible, your home system can notify the security company that installed it, so their teams would arrive in a few minutes after the alarm goes off. If possible, you can also connect your alarm system to the police station and safely wait until the unit arrives at your door.
Alarm systems have a very loud sound that will alert the whole neighborhood to the intrusion and it covers every entrance to your home. The code is changed from time to time so no one can steal it and deactivate the alarm, and you can even set individual codes for each user. The only thing you have to be careful of is to not trigger the system and create a false alarm.
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Locks, window bars, and simple security solutions
There are other things you can additionally do to prevent any burglary or intrusion to your property. Although you should definitely install the mentioned measures, you can do some things that will further prevent property invasion. Make sure that the locks on your doors and windows are burglary-proofed or at least that they will take the intruder’s time and will to rob you. The bars on windows are an excellent solution for people leaving on the lower floors since those apartments tend to be very sensitive to intruders.
Furthermore, use the drapes to conceal the interior of your home from curious eyes, and that will also prevent people from seeing what you have inside. Install a safe to keep your valuables, and limit the number of people who will know the combination. These may seem as insignificant and less effective security measures than an alarm system, but they have a psychological effect on intruders and may deter them from attempting any crime.
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Fire protection
Based on 2015 statistics by the U.S. Fire Administration, there were 1,345,500 fires and 3,280 consequent deaths. That is why it is important to take measures to protect your loved ones and your property from any possible fire accidents. Namely, check regularly if all the appliances, devices and outlets work properly, and immediately repair any possible damage or malfunction.
Install fire alarms in your home and make sure that you check the batteries and replace them in time. Today's alarm systems are very effective and sensitive so they will detect the early onset of fire. Some home security companies offer monitoring packages, meaning that your alarm system can be connected to the fire department. That way, if the alarm goes off and no one is at home, the fire department will be notified and will react accordingly.
Lastly
Evaluate the security measures you need for your home and don’t hesitate to install them. It may seem like too much at the time, but preventing any inconvenience caused by the attempt of burglary is priceless. These 4 facts will help you in deciding which home security system is the most appropriate for your property, but if possible, don’t spare a dime and install only the best. After all, the safety of your family is priceless and of utmost importance.
