Tag: home security

Strengthen the shield of safety around your household

Strengthen the shield of safety around your household

Every family wants to feel safe and secure in their own home. But, unfortunately, the world we live in today isn’t as secure as it used to be. From natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes to man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks and cyber-crime, families must have a plan in place to protect themselves from any potential danger. Here are some useful tips on how you can strengthen the shield of safety around your household and keep your family safe.

Practice fire safety

In case of a fire emergency, practice an escape plan with your family, so everyone knows what to do. Install smoke detectors throughout the house and ensure they’re always properly functioning. Have a working fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location in the house and ensure that everyone is trained to use it. Ensure your family knows the phone number of their local fire station and knows any relevant emergency numbers they may need in the event of a fire.

Secure your home against intruders

Install security cameras to monitor your home and property. Make sure all external doors are fitted with strong deadbolts or security screens. Motion-activated security spotlights can also help deter would-be intruders and alert you to any activity on your property. Ensure that all house windows are secure and that any exterior lights near entry points are working properly at night so potential intruders cannot hide in the shadows.

Prepare for natural disasters

It’s important to be prepared for natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes etc. Have a plan outlining what steps should be taken if an emergency arises. Put together a disaster supply kit with enough food, water and medical supplies to last your family at least three days. Make sure you know where safe zones in your area are located and that you have a communication plan, so everyone knows how to stay in touch if separated during an emergency.

Be aware of cyber-crime

The internet can be used for good, but it can also be used for bad. Cyber-crime has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, and families need to take precautions to protect themselves from potential risks online. Install anti-virus software on all computers and ensure they are up-to-date with the latest security patches. Teach your children about the dangers of giving out personal information online, such as passwords, pin numbers or credit card details and make sure they understand the importance of being aware with whom they are communicating.

These are just a few steps families can take to help fortify their safety and security. Being prepared is the key to protecting yourself and your loved ones in times of danger, so make sure you’ve taken all necessary precautions to ensure your family remains safe and secure. By following these tips, you can provide peace of mind knowing that you’ve done everything possible to create a shield of safety to keep your home and family safe from harm.

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Signs that your home is not as safe as it could be

Signs that your home is not as safe as it could be

If you’re concerned that your home is not as safe or as secure as it could be, then you’re not alone. Many people are in the same situation, but there are many things that you can do to try to improve the situation. Instead of installing new security measures, it’s helpful for you to address the security flaws that you have right now, to ensure that you’re not compromising your and your family’s safety.

A hidden spare key

If you have a spare key under the doormat or underneath a plant pot outside then this may sound like a good idea, especially if you lose your keys or find that you have a bit of an emergency situation on your hands. If you have a spare key outside then you may find that burglars have free access to your home and this is the last thing you need. You may think that your key is very hidden too, but experienced burglars tend to know all of the possible places where a home-owner may end up hiding their key, and if you aren’t careful, you could end up handing them your possessions. Your home insurance probably won’t cover you for things like this either, so be mindful of this and make sure that you’re not compromising your home’s safety through not being aware of how obvious your spare key location is.

No alarm

Alarm systems are usually visible at the front of a house, and this alone can be a great deterrent to criminals. If you want to further safeguard your home, then you should invest in a wireless burglar alarm. If you do this, you’ll discover that it can lower your home insurance premiums and lessens the chance of your property being targeted by burglars.

Second entryways

Do you have a second entry point to your home? If the answer is yes, then you remember to close and secure it whenever you go out. When you exit your home, you may automatically think about locking your front door, but you need to remember that your back door provides just as much access. Criminals can easily gain entry to your home through an unlocked back door when you’re out, not to mention that it gives them more privacy too. If you want to do something about this, then make sure that you lock the back door before you leave the house. If you can do this, then you’ll find that things end up working in your favour, and that your home is more secure as a result.

Signs your home is unoccupied

Your house may sometimes be unoccupied for long periods of time, such as if you go on holiday for a week or two. On such occasions, you should make sure that it’s not too obvious. The signs of a vacant home can often be obvious, and if this is the case with your property, then you have to make sure that you take steps to avoid this. It may be that you have a ton of junk mail piling up outside the front door. Lights off in the evening can also be a sign that you’re away from home, so you need to be proactive. Pause your postal subscriptions if you know that you’re going to be away when they’re to be delivered and put a couple of lamps on an automatic timer so that they come on at dusk and off again at dawn each day.

Poorly lit areas

Do you have any outdoor lighting on your property? Are your front and rear entrances properly illuminated? If not, then this can provide an opportunity for criminals to try to enter under the cloak of darkness.

If you want to secure your home, then you need to make sure that you are not making it an easy target for criminals to break and enter.

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The best ways to upgrade your home security after moving in

The best ways to upgrade your home security after moving in

When you first move into a new place, one of the first things you should consider is how secure you’ll be in the new location. You can’t be certain who has keys and spare keys from the previous owner and you might not trust the security measures that they had in place. With that in mind, we’re going to take you through some of the home security improvements that you might want to make to your new property.

Invest in a safe

Investing in a safe or strong box is definitely a good idea if you want to make sure that you’re able to securely store your most valuable possessions without worrying about them when you’re not at home. That way, even if someone manages to break into your home, you can be confident that items such as cash, jewellery and official documents are out of the way and inaccessible to burglars.

Set up a fresh security system

If the home you’ve just moved into doesn’t have a very modern or up-to-date security system in place, that’s something that you’ll certainly want to work on and change as soon as possible. With a fresh security system installed, you can guarantee that it offers all of the features you need in order for you and your family to feel safe in the home.

Change the locks

Changing the external door and window locks in your home is probably one of the first things you’ll want to do when moving into a new property. As we mentioned previously, it’s impossible for you to know who has spare keys from the previous owner, and it makes sense to be safe. Therefore, find locksmiths in your area who can carry out the lock changes for you. You’ll then know that only you, and anyone else you give your keys to, can get into the home.

Ensure the garage is secure

The garage is often one of the easiest entry points for people looking to break into your home. It’s something that home-owners often overlook, but that shouldn’t be the case. Fitting secure locks on the doors and windows of your house is all well and good, but it won’t have much of an impact if the garage isn’t secure enough to keep out people who shouldn’t be there.

Light up the surrounding landscape

Lighting up the surroundings around your home is definitely an important way to make your home more secure. It’s a well-known fact that burglars prefer not to target homes that are well-lit or have motion-activated lights installed around the perimeter of the property. Be sure to think about adding these if they’re not already in place. It could make a considerable difference to your home security.

It’s definitely a good idea to put some time and effort into thinking about ways you can upgrade your home security. The peace of mind that comes with knowing your family home is secure is priceless, so don’t overlook or delay in resolving these matters.

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3 areas where home privacy really matters

3 areas where home privacy really matters

Depending on where you live, the amount of home privacy you are afforded can differ. For instance, if you live in quite tight terraced housing or in a block of flats, relaxing out in the courtyard or on your balcony will no doubt be visible by others that have a similar, uniform home set-up.

Yet it’s also true that in many homes, the privacy situation depends on what arrangements we make, how we approach certain sight lines from certain properties and where you consider privacy to be the most important. For instance, it might be that you’d like to sunbathe, read and have your children play in the garden without worrying about being watched or overlooked. This is why many families, if they have the room for it, might implement hedging or plant a line of trees along the perimeter of their property, particularly if that obscures the view of their neighbours.

For the most part, much of this depends on what preferences you have. But what about the areas where home privacy really does matter? In this post, we’ll discuss that, and what investments you can make to secure it.

Bathroom with opaque glass panel for home privacy

Your bathroom/toilet areas

No matter where the bathrooms are in your household, it’s important for you to feel like you have thorough privacy in there. This is especially important in ground-level cloakrooms where the bathroom may be visible to passers-by if you don’t implement a solution. Worthwhile blinds, frosted glass and even opaque glass-like window applications can make a massive difference in keeping this space totally invisible to those from the outside. Also, make sure that you double up on these necessities where possible – because even frosted glass may not be enough when the room is backlit at night.

People socialising at a pool party

Your entertainment areas

When you’re entertaining friends, you don’t want to be observed by your neighbours, especially if you’re getting a bit silly and drinking or jumping in the outdoor pool and hot tub. This is where installing composite fencing can be worthwhile, as it will block sight lines from other properties. Gazebos or garden rooms can also make a massive difference, as can parasols or porch awnings. This kind of approach can help you relax in your garden in peace.

Green front door with glass panels

Your front door/corridor

It has become quite popular for some homes to install front doors with glazing that allow for natural light to filter through into the property. This does mean however, that people can more readily see if you’re at home, or if you’re walking around the house in your bath towel. Installing wooden doors with structural strength, as well as remodelling the areas where side windows may have been, can help ensure that no one can see into your home. A good intermediate solution is to use a dark, relatively translucent curtain that allows light in and allows you to see outside, while also preventing interior light from penetrating outside.

With this advice, you’ll see ways in which home privacy really can matter and how to go about achieving it.

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